Worlds collide
by Manala
Summary: Story starts just after the gallery attack, follows the movie for a while, avoids the bitter ending and goes on into what I hope will be a "believable romance". It shows how one extra soul can change everything. Nuada x non-human OC. More details inside.
1. Introduction

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, I make no money out of this story, it's just for fun.

About the character.

Fist of all, if you think my main female character, Adela, is a total rip-off of the Crusnik, in the Trinity Blood manga/anime, you're absolutely right. If you have no idea what a Crusnik is, I will enlighten you. In the manga, it's a daywalker that feeds on the blood of vampires. It looks completely human, until it transforms, using a vocal command. In some stages of the transformation, it has wings and a weapon that appears from its own body. I thought this was too much for my story, so I adapted it a bit. Adela is a daywalker, that appears to be human. She has no need of blood in her human form, but after she transforms, she doesn't care is she kills vampires, humans or other creatures, she's not picky. When she transforms, her eyes go completely red, her skin goes deadly white, like in the manga, and she has a powerful bio-electric field surrounding her. She doesn't have wings, nor the fancy weapon. Unlike the Crusnik, she wasn't created in a lab on Mars, she was transformed using the good old "bite-me" technique. She was born in 1550 somewhere in today's Romania and she was changed when she was 23 years old. She's done her share of killing in the beginning, when she couldn't control herself, but now she got the hang of it...finally. All this time, she's been traveling the world, trying to blend in, and moving from place to place, since she doesn't age. She has great speed, huge strength and fighting skills to match 400 years of training. Also, she can regenerate any wound, no matter how bad it is. The down side is that she needs blood to do it and that she can't heal others. She has been a part of the team in the past, but listening to orders and jumping to rescue humans wasn't her cup of tea, so she left 2 years before the action in the story takes place.  
>About her looks...I thought of her as tall, slender, pale, black eyes and hair, quite pretty. I won't stress too much on this, since it's not that important. Imagine her however you fancy.<p>

About the story

The story starts soon after the episode with the tooth fairies. It follows the movie in the beginning, but it goes way off along the way. Nuada won't be present in the first chapters, as I want to introduce the female character properly, get you acquainted with her personality and make her "feel at home" in the story. If you're expecting long introspective paragraphs and fancy detailed descriptions of every corner in the decorum, you'll be disappointed. I'm letting the characters express themselves through dialogue. If you want a funny story, that follows the movie but ends better, read on!  
>PS: I'm really trying to make this story a believable romance. Don't expect her to fall madly in love with him in the course of a chapter just because he looks neat, ok?<p> 


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - I have a bad feeling about this

Tooth fairies. Tooth fairies, a murdering elf and a troll. That's what caused the massacre at the art gallery. They did return with one of the killer bugs, for further examination, but they had the feeling that this was only the beginning, and that the weird "prince Nuada" was only giving them a demo version of the massacre to come.

"I have a very bad feeling about this" said Manning, after looking at the fairy for the millionth time.

"Yeah, it was pretty nasty. There were so many of these things that only Liz's fire could kill them. We lost some of the agents before we could think of that", replied Red.

"Were these things seen by any of the civilians?"

"I don't…"

"I wasn't talking to you, Hellboy, you probably were too busy giving autographs to notice anyway" snapped Manning, giving him a disapproving stare. Liz, Abraham?

"No, we don't think anyone saw them", said Abe.

"They did see you, though. Hellboy, I'm not enjoying this. It's not my hobby to hide you from the public eye, but it is something we agreed upon. That is the definition of secret, and you are secret", said Manning.

Red tried to say something, but he was interrupted again .

"Since it's clear that this is a very nasty deal we're getting into, and that I want the public out of it, you just gained yourself a supervisor. Also, we'll need all the help we can get, so call back all the agents that are on vacation, on other missions, and so on".

Red was still stuck on the supervisor part, so he missed the rest.

"I don't need a damn babysitter."

"Well, after your 15 minutes of glory, the government thinks that you do. This discussion is over. Oh, and people, when I say all the help I mean all the help. Bring _her _back".

"But she doesn't want to rejoin the team", started Liz.

"Make her."

"But how…Sir, we've kept in touch with her and she seems quite happy to be away", said Abe. "Plus, I don't really see how we could force her to do anything, even if we wanted to".

"Let her know about the serum we've been testing lately. She'll come!"


	3. Chapter 2

_text in italic _= thoughts

Chapter 2 - Adela

"Oh God, not again! This is a nightmare!", growled a feminine voice from the now pitch-black bathroom. The power was down…again, the water was getting cold and she was getting late and very angry. "I can't stand this anymore; it's like the Middle Ages over and over again. All I want is some hot water now…is it so much to ask, God?" Muttering a "if you're up there, you must really hate my guts" under her breath, she rinsed her hair with the ice-cold water and stepped out of the shower, giving a curse with every breath.

As she stepped into her small living area, she realized that the fancy candles she bought over the years proved to be the best investment of her life. Lighting a couple of them, and the first cigarette of the day, she looked into the full length mirror on her wall. The tall pale woman looking back at her resembled a wet angry cat. Her long hair was a mess and her black eyes screamed murder. Half way into her cigarette, she managed to calm down enough to be able to see the funny side of this. It was tradition already. It was an event when the power stayed on, and that shouldn't be such a surprise, since she was living in the transformed attic of an old mansion. But, you get what you pay for, and this was cheap enough to work.

Taking a deep breath, she started to dig into the closet. With a sound of victory, she came out holding her prey. She managed to put on a pair of loose jeans and the first black t-shirt that was in her way, blindly found her shoes, coat and camera bag and she bolted through the door, leaving a mess behind her.

She frowned as she saw her reflection in one of the shop windows. She looked a mess, and the bright daylight didn't help her much. With swift practiced moves, she managed to straighten her outfit and her damp hair well enough not to give the impression that she was thrown out of a washing machine. Still trying to ignore her reflection as much as possible, she walked towards the nearest subway station, thinking of today's excuse for being late on her job.

* * *

><p>The train was almost empty, since it was nearing the final stop, where she had to get off. Adela worked as a photographer, collaborating with various agencies and magazines. The schedule was lax, one of the reasons she accepted the job. Today she had to go to a shooting, somewhere outside town. She stared blankly in front of her, wondering once again who the hell decided to place a huge modern office building in the middle of nowhere, close to the point where the town ends and the corn crops begin.<p>

The only persons close to her in the compartment were two males in their 30s, who kept talking in German while pointing very enthusiastically at a city map. They could have passed unnoticed, if not for the pointy looks they were giving her from time to time, when they were "sure" she wasn't looking. One of them picked up his phone, dialed and started to mutter something, very fast.

"….sie ist hier. …"

_Now isn't that interesting. I may not know German, boys, but I can understand that much._

The two men seemed less interested in their map as the station approached. The stares, though, were getting more frequent.

_Aren't they just subtle…You can't get more obvious than that, maybe just by waving a banner._

Just then, the subway stopped in the final station, where 5 guys in black uniforms were set at every door of the compartment, waiting to get in.

She raised an eyebrow at the greeting, being sure by now that she was the target of whatever they were trying to accomplish. She made no move and waited for the doors to open and for the few passengers to get out.

_Come on my friends, get in, we'll have a great time. Well…I'll have, on your expense. _

She saw them looking straight at her as they started walking towards her seat. In a split second, as the doors were closing, the bolted through them at an inhuman speed, making all the attempts to catch her useless. Alone on the platform, she grinned and waved the people in the train bye bye. _Oh, I'm good at this. I think I should also take a bow, that was a master performance._

She didn't have enough time to congratulate herself, because she heard voices, and in the next second she had to dodge a small arrow. She moved in time to avoid it, but she almost froze when she saw the ammunition. Tranquilizers. Tranquilizers?

"Hey! What the hell do you take me for, an animal? Are you trying to take me to the zoo or something? " Again, she didn't have time to argue, as the second arrow flew less than a centimeter from her neck, getting stuck in her hair, shortly followed by a third. Thinking that the best way to deal with this, at the moment, was to run, and ask questions/break limbs later, she dashed in the opposite direction, trying to conjure a plan in less than 10 seconds. As she ran through the weirdly empty station, more and more people picked up the chase. _They are everywhere, who the hell are these guys?_

Not being human had its advantages, like speed, and she didn't feel any shame in using it. Even so, she was greatly outnumbered and sooner or later one of the arrows that she managed to avoid would hit.

But then, like a gateway to heaven, a gateway to the ventilation system appeared. Not losing any momentum, she jumped to the access hatch on the ceiling, blew the metal bars covering it and lifted herself into the low humid tunnel.

_This is cozy. Bad air, not enough room to move, no light, almost feels like home. Now, let's wait for the idiots to catch up._

She barely finished that thought, when they arrived just below the trapdoor. She could see now that whoever was after her kindly sent 30 men for the deed, and that they were looking pretty pissed. However the temptation to gloat seemed too much to resist.

"Yo!"

The sound hit every wall, giving an eerie echo in the empty station. That got their attention, and they all started looking in every direction, searching for the source.

"Who's there?" one of them asked before thinking.

Adela almost snorted, but decided to play "I am the ghost of the Christmas Past! Who do you think I am?"

Their eyes were still searching frantically.

"Up here, you morons! I'm the girl you were shooting at 3 minutes ago. Does that ring a bell?"

"Think you humans could catch me, huh? Well, let's see how you reach me here. Try to jump, make a human pyramid or something". The smile on her face grew wider at their confused faces. "Now, as much as I would love to see that, I have a bus to catch, so ciao!"

And then she was gone, in search of the exit. Five meters down the tunnel, her stupidity came back to bite her…hard. _Great work, idiot. You just had to rub it in their faces. Now they know where you are and where you'll be getting out. Amazing work! _ Realizing the only way to get out of this one was to get to the exit before they did, she moved as fast as she could through the tight space. Less than 3 minutes later she could literally see the light at the end of the tunnel, so, with a final effort, she reached the metal bars covering the exit, bent them and got out into the sunlight, hungrily breathing in the fresh air.

Around the second gulp of oxygen, she felt herself being lifted from the ground, by the collar of her coat.

"Hey Liz, look what I found crawling out of the sewers! Hello kid!"

The initial startled look on her face gave way to resignation, and then, to her usual sarcastic mask. Putting on her most innocent smirk, she saluted her captor.

"Well hello Red! Isn't it nice to see you on this beautiful morning! Liz! You're here too…Now this really brightens my day! Now are you going to keep me in this undignified position all day, or you plan to put me down?"

"Red, put her down this instant!" said Liz, as she ran down the empty street to where they stood, a huge red demon and a dirty girl dangling in his grip.

Red put her down, but kept his stone hand securely on the back of her coat. She looked around, at the deserted place. The place was swarming with agents, but no civilians were in sight. _Figures, the demon is toasting in the sunlight after all._

"Look, Adela, sorry we had to do this, I really want to apologize, but we needed to get to you", said Liz.

"So, that entire circus was set up by the BPRD?" She was dumb folded. Usually her interaction with the BPRD consisted in going out with Liz from time to time or arguing with Red, who couldn't take no for an answer and kept trying to convince her to get back to her former job. Being hunted by the agents in a subway station was somewhat new.

"Who else would be chasing you, you brat? You're getting slow" said Red, trying and failing not to laugh in her face.

Adela snorted in a very unladylike manner "Ok, so you needed me. Is a phone call so outdated that you had to hunt me? Literally, with tranquilizers! You had to brainstorm for that or the idea just popped in your heads?"

Liz had a guilty look on her face and seemed very interested in her boots.

"Those weren't exactly tranquilizers. That substance would have prevented you from transforming or using your powers, for a limited time. Enough to get you to the center", she said meekly.

Adela gave a low growl and her eyes started to turn red. "Is that so! I had no idea that kind of substance even existed. What the hell is this all about? I ask for...no, I _demand_ an explanation right…"  
>Red made himself useful and shut her up with his other hand.<p>

"Chill out kid, you're losing control and we don't want that in broad daylight. You'll have to come with us to get answers".

"This was uncalled for. You could have… "

The demon rolled his eyes and shut her up again, while Liz tried to reason with her.

"We can't tell you anything now, but please, come with us. You might be interested in what we have to show you", her former colleague said.

Adela calmed down enough to make Red remove his hand. "Fine. I'll come with you, listen to whatever you have to tell me and then I'll leave, if I so choose, got that? Also, you'll deal with my boss and make sure I still have a job to come back to."

"Good enough", grinned Red, and pushed her towards the garbage truck.

Adela was still mighty pissed about how her day had turned out, but decided to be nice and cooperate, for the moment. The substance mentioned by Liz was the main reason she gave in so easily. It seemed like a small chat with her former boss was in order. Walking towards the garbage van, she huffed, amused.

"As stylish as ever, I see. You know, you don't even have to try too hard to look like a garbage man, Red, it somehow suits you", she grinned.

Red glanced at her less then perfect attire, giving her a haughty smirk.

"Now, your majesty, I wouldn't talk if I were you. You're dirty enough to pass for the trash I collect".

Since that seemed to shut her up, they got into the van and drove towards the center.


	4. Chapter 3

_Text in italic = thoughts_

Chapter 3 - Nobody says please anymore

The mood in the van was getting a bit lighter as they arrived at the BPRD center. Adela liked her former colleagues. Her relationship with Red started with them fighting and cursing each other and continued on the same note, but it was a friendly clash of forces. He would call her brat and kid even if she was much older than him, just to piss her off, while she just kept her mouth shut and beat him into a stupor every time weapons were involved. Her superior training made the difference, but the big red guy had the advantage of strength. She tried to keep her transformations as a last solution, since she still feared it might get nasty.

She and Liz became very close during her years in the team. She wasn't sure if they were compatible characters or if the fact that she was the only other female around had something to do with it. They were opposite in many ways, but it somehow worked for them. She was a bit more reserved with Abe. She called him "her fellow nerd", but they didn't share the bond that only extensive discussions or extensive bruises would forge.

Manning was a different deal. While she understood his attitude some of the times, she still couldn't stand the "You whistle, I jump" nature of their interactions. The guy actually thought it was his right to order her around, when she was voluntarily helping them. That didn't work for long.

As they walked into the center, she felt like she left the place yesterday. Everyone greeted her down the main hallway. As they passed the various experiment chambers, she started looking around more attentively.

"Lost something?" asked Red.

"No, I was just looking for the small aliens with coffee and cigarettes from Men in Black. I could really use some right now".

"Aren't you funny…If they only knew how close to the truth they were when they were filming that", grinned Red.

"This way", said Liz, pointing to a secondary hallway.

"So, are you finally going to tell me what this is all about?"

"An elf and a troll barged in at an art auction, and a bunch of tooth fairies ate 70 people", said Red seriously.

She stopped and stared at him. His face was as serious as it could get. After a couple of seconds, she couldn't contain her laughter anymore, so she gave in: "Wow! And you're telling me I'm funny." After some more giggling, she asked again "So, really now...what is the problem?"

"He's telling the truth" said a voice down the hallway.

"Manning!" she slowly turned her attention to him. "How…interesting to see you!" beamed Adela, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "Now you're exactly the person I wanted to talk to right now."

"Am I?"

"Trust me, ex-boss-figure, I've never been more serious in my entire life. Now Liz told me a little something about a substance. Care to explain to me what that is all about?" she said, while approaching him.

"I knew that would catch your interest", said Manning matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, well your perspicacity never seizes to amaze me. Now, about that substance, were you bluffing, or not?"

"Actually, I wasn't. I could tell you what that is all about, if you promise to help us in a little matter."

_Sigh! Nobody says please anymore these days, they are either hunting you or blackmailing you._

"Help you with what?"

"With the elf Hellboy was telling you about just now", said Manning, looking straight in her eyes, to see her reaction. "This matter is very alarming and we think we need all the help we can get. We called in all the agents we have, but we would feel better if we had you on the team for this mission".

"I have a better idea. You tell me all there is to know about the substance and then I'll _consider_ helping you."

"Unacceptable."

"I am not negotiating this with you, **sir! **Let me rephrase this…" She was getting really pissed and it was starting to show. The air around her started to crack with energy. "You will tell me all I want to know, if you don't want this whole building to become a pile of boulders in the next 5 minutes. I'm trying to be nice here, but I don't appreciate blackmail."

"Adela, please calm down", said Liz, looking a bit scared for Manning.

"Is that a threat?" asked her former boss.

"It's a friendly warning, but you can take it as you wish. From what I heard, that little experiment of yours can lock my powers away, and, as you can see, I'm not too happy about that".

"The effect is limited; the serum can't do anything to you for more than 15 minutes", he tried to plead.

"That is more than enough to get me killed. Now, I want to see what this is about."

Manning looked at Hellboy, but he only shrugged, as if saying "It's your problem, not mine". With that, Manning gave Adela a final angry look, turned around and started walking. "Follow me!"

They entered a small room, situated at the end of the hallway. Inside, it looked like a chemistry laboratory, one that had seen better days. There were microscopes and bottles everywhere. In the center, there was a locked container, which Manning opened.

Inside, there was a small bottle holding a clear red substance.

"This is it. We've done some experiments on your blood, since you are one of the few daywalkers alive. Among other things, we developed a substance that locks your DNA in the human form, disabling your transformation. However, we couldn't stabilize it, and the effect is only temporary. Satisfied now?"

"That is a stupid question. How did you get hold of my blood?" she asked, all traces of humor erased from her face.

"In one of your last missions, when you got injured and brought to the hospital area, we got a probe"

"Just in case, huh? Nice work, I must say. How did you test the substance, did you use it on another of my kind?"

"No, not really…"

"Then you just guessed the effect lasts only 15 minutes? This isn't tested and you used it to get me here?" The redness in her eyes was coming back…

"It is tested, on the blood. It's just not finished."

"Stupid statement number two. It's not finished because the effects are not permanent, is that right?" She looked at him and she could see fear slowly creeping in his eyes. She continued "But that's a matter of time, I guess. You'll keep working on it till it's perfect."

"Now tell me, Manning, why would you need a substance like that?"

The fear was completely set now, but he was trying to hide it. She could practically taste the anxiety in the air.

"We…we never know when another daywalker might come by and what intentions he might have…"

"Cut the crap, will you?" she snapped, eyeing him again.

"Ok, I'll tell you the truth. After you left, we had no idea on whose side you were going to be, in an eventual battle, so it was a precaution". He was trembling by now. The only thing that kept him sane was the fact that Hellboy and Liz were still in the room, ready to help. Or so he hoped.

She gave a bitter smile "So, if I'm not with you, I'm against you… Tell me something, _boss,_If you have so little confidence in me, why did you bring me back? Afraid that the enemy will get to me first and convince me to be on his side?"

"Your silence is oh, so expressive."

Looking at Manning with the same bitter smile, she called for Red.

"Hey Red!"

"Yeah", came his reply.

"Would you and Liz please escort our beloved boss out of this room?"

"Wait, what are you going to do?" fear was replaced with panic on Manning's face.

"Relax; I'm going to help you with the elf. But, since you don't trust me 100%, I don't see why I should trust you. Now get out and close the door after you!"

"I'm not leaving this room; you have no right to do this!"

"Fine, than die!"

As she said this, the air got charged with electricity, her hair started swiping madly around her face and her eyes bled an intense red color. Seeing this, Red and Liz quickly grabbed Manning, got out and closed the door.

In the next second, a huge blast could be heard from the room, and they could all feel the electricity on their tongues. The lights in the BPRD center flickered, before getting back on. The silence was broken by the sound of the door opening. There stood Adela, completely human and with a smile on her face. Behind her, the walls were the only thing left intact.

"There we go, my friends. You can resume breathing now, boss, I wouldn't have done that with you still in the room. Now that we're over our small differences, how about you tell me more about the evil elf?"


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - Noble cause, bad plan

_**"Let this remind you, why you once feared the dark"**_

As they played the surveillance tape for her, she had trouble closing her mouth. _My god, they weren't kidding. That is actually an elf. Weren't elves supposed to nice and kind?_

The massacre made by the tooth fairies was shown on the screen. _Gross! This is as far as you can go from today's image of the tooth fairy._

"Play it again!"

The tape started once again, showing the art the lights went off. Then, the person she now knew as Prince Nuada came into the room, stating his right to the crown piece. The host of the auction called for security and the guards came in…more or less alive, being thrown in by a huge troll. The creature came out of the shadows, stared at the frightened people in the room, that were trying to get away from him, and then let out a loud roar, that also sounded a bit hurt to her. After killing the organizer by throwing something at his face that suffocated him, the elf turned his attention to the frightened humans in the room.

"SIT DOWN! Proud, empty, hollow…**things **that you are!"

_So, he has a problem with humans. 'Proud, empty and hollow'. I guess that description could be considered accurate, for many of them... _

Looking at the video, she couldn't help but get distracted. _I have to give it to him, for a mass murderer, he sure has a beautiful voice. Too bad I can't see his face that well_. Realizing that the guy's voice was the last point on the agenda, she gave herself a mental slap and focused on the message_. This is clearly a declaration of war. But against humanity? He's either in la-la land or he has something to rely on._

"Adela, say something. You've been staring at the empty screen for five minutes", said Abe.

"I'm Sorry, Abe. Well…what can I say? At a first glace he could be either very dangerous or very crazy...Or both. Any idea what's the deal with the crown piece?"

"There is an old legend regarding that", said Abe.

"Yeah, dad used to read it to me when I was a kid", said Red, with a sad nostalgic look on his face.

"May I read it, please?"

"I'll bring you the book", said Red, returning to his usual detached self.

* * *

><p>"It is said that, at the dawn of time, man, beast, and all the magical beings lived together under the Father Tree. But man had been created with a hole in his heart, a hole that no possession, power, or knowledge could fill. And in his infinite greed, man dreamt of expanding his dominion over the entire Earth. The blood of many an elf, ogre and goblin spilled in their war with man. And King Balor, the one-armed king of Elfland, watched the slaughter in dread and despair. But one day, the master of the goblin blacksmiths offered to build the king a golden mechanical army. Seventy times seventy soldiers, that would never know hunger and could not be stopped. Prince Nuada begged his father to agree. So, a magical crown was forged, that would allow those of royal blood to command the Golden Army, if unchallenged.<p>

The next time the humans marched, they felt the earth tremble beneath their feet and saw the sky darken with monstrous shapes. The Golden Army had no remorse, felt no loyalty or pain, and king Balor's heart grew heavy with regret. So, he called a truce, and divided the crown in three pieces, one for the humans and two for himself. In exchange, man would keep to the cities and the magical beings would own the forests. This truce would be honored by their sons and the sons of their sons until the end of time.

But prince Nuada did not believe in the promises of men, and it is said that he went into exile, vowing to return the day his people needed him most. So, the Golden Army lay dormant, locked inside the earth, waiting. And there it is to this day, awaiting the day the crown is made whole again: silent, still and indestructible. "

_Wow, so this is the element of surprise. He's declaring war because he intends to have the Golden Army under his power._

"So now he has returned, and he wants to awaken the army and save his people" She started to walk around the room, thinking aloud.."Noble cause, bad plan".

"Noble cause? You agree with this?" starred Manning.

"Yeah, up to a certain point, I do. If the legend is true, he's only trying to help his people, and humans are the ones that broke the truce. On the other hand, mindless killing doesn't sound too smart".

She frowned, as she thought about the situation.

"From what I saw, he's really involved in this. I never heard someone talk with so much passion, even if it's channelled through hate. I don't' have enough information on the matter, but I can say he's not trying to kill us all just for his entertainment."

She didn't have enough knowledge to give a valid opinion on the matter, and she found herself avid to know more. The others had enough time to talk about the art gallery episode, so now they were waiting for her opinion.

"We have to make sure this guy really is who he says he is. Any idea how we can find him?" Adela finally said.

"We only have one of the tooth fairies, but since its dead, we won't be able to get much information from it", said Abe.

"All that will have to wait. The new agent from Washington is about to arrive, and we need to welcome him. Now let's get going", said Manning.

Adela got closer to Liz and whispered "New agent? Who's that?"

"It's Red's new supervisor", muttered Liz, making sure nobody else heard her. "The government is not too happy with his conduct lately."

"Were they ever…" Adela smiled, giving Red a sympathetic look.


	6. Chapter 5

**This is the first Nuada chapter. The action unfolds just like in the movie, even in the dialogue is slightly changed. I wrote this chapter because I wanted to have a better insight on Nuada's feelings. This will be quite important along the way. In case you were wondering...no, I don't plan to just retell the movie in many words in this fiction, but i need to do this to build up the characters.**

Chapter 4 - We will not fade

Nuada's mood darkened, as he passed through the archway and entered his father's new "palace", followed closely by Wink. His frown deepened at the thought. The place could hardly be considered fit for a court reunion, it was more like a spacious bunker, the walls adorned with bricks and thick pipes serving the city. _Their world. _The thought that the proud beings that once occupied the world above, in an equal, if not superior position to the humans were now forced to live in the sewers was eating at his heart. He could not and would not believe that his people willingly submitted to this. He was convinced that, given a chance, they would reclaim their right to live under the sunlight, and he was planning to give them that chance.

He could not lie to himself; he hated the humans from the start and never trusted them. The empty place in their hearts was a guarantee that, sooner or later, they will get out of line, and that's why he convinced his father to commission the Golden Army. The humans were a threat that needed to be eliminated, the sooner the better. But his father was weak. Seeing that the mechanical warriors cared not if the victims were innocent women or children made him regret the decision and agree upon a truce. A most stupid idea, in Nuada's opinion.

Explaining his reasons to his father had been useless. The old king agreed with the prince upon the fact that humans were a threat, but believed that it wasn't his right to erase them from the surface of the earth. It seemed like the king could, in fact, predict that the humans would push them into this situation but, instead of engaging in a fight with them, he just resigned to the outcome.

Nuada could never bow his head like that in the face of this so-called fate. He was a true warrior. He started training as soon as he was able to hold a weapon and could not ignore his instincts that told him to fight for his people, for himself and for his beliefs.

This train of thought was broken as he entered the first chamber, where he was met by the Chamberlain and a group of guards.

"Your Royal Highness. Prince Nuada!" The creature greeted, in a shaky, but melodic voice. "You honor us with your return".

He meant to pass right by them and enter the throne room, but the creature stood in his way.

"Sire, before you enter the castle chamber, you…you must surrender your weapon".

Nuada narrowed his eyes at the creature. With an almost disgusted expression on his face, he replied.

"I will not", he bit, bringing his hand to his sword, in an automatic protective gesture. The guards unshielded their swords immediately, making Wink give a loud growl in warning.

"It is protocol, sire", the creature continued, moving its hands nervously. "Peasant and prince alike".

_How dare he address me as if nothing has happened, as if I'm here for a casual chat. Does he think I'm stupid?_

In the blink of an eye, Nuada unshielded his sword and pointed it at the chamberlain's throat.

"It would do me great pleasure to kill you now, Chamberlain", he sneered. However, he didn't get the chance to deliver his threat, as he heard his sister's voice.

"Brother! Please surrender your weapon".

Nuada turned his head slowly, looking at his sister for the first time in many years. He could barely keep his emotions in check. Ever since his return, he has been to his father's court a couple of times, but the king always made sure Nuala was out of his view. His father continued to keep her away from him, even after centuries of being apart physically.

She was unchanged, as beautiful and elegant as he remembered her. Her image never left him for a second. In his many centuries away, he kept communicating with her through the bond and his feelings grew into something far deeper than what a brother should feel for his sister. He was sure that, given some time, she would realize the same about her feelings towards him.

He turned, facing her, and presented his weapon, making a huge effort to keep his hand from trembling. However, he couldn't hide the tide of emotions from his voice.

Bowing, he said, shakily

"For you, sister, a..anything!", then raised his eyed to her, watching her intently.

The princess gave a short bow as well, but the look she gave him was far colder than he expected.

Her expression confused him, but he could not read too much into that at the moment. Leaving his weapon, he advanced to the court room, followed silently by his friend and his sister.

He kept walking towards the center of the room, while Nuala and Wink remained by the entrance. Nuada finally stopped, facing his father and king. He kneeled in respect, almost dreading what the king would say to him next.

News travelled fast and he was certain that King Balor knew about the episode at the art gallery.

"Why? Why did you do this?", started the king, in their ancient Gaelic language.

"I have done it for us. For all of us, father, for our people", replied Nuada, almost desperate to make his king understand.

"You have broken an ancient truce", the king said, getting angrier by the minute.

Nuada could not stand the injustice anymore.

"I have not! The humans broke the truce centuries ago, when they left their cities and expanded their rule into our lands. Lands given to us in the same agreement you defend so ardently", Nuada replied in a loud, clear voice.

The king sighed, then replied, in a milder tone.

"What the humans do is in their nature. Upholding the truce is in ours. It is our honor that doesn't allow us to take radical measures like you have".

Nuada could not believe what he was hearing. In a disbelieving tone, laced with emotions raging from anger to despair, he asked.

"Honor? Look at us! At all of us! Where is the honor in our situation? And this place! Your palace, the place in which your court gathers. It's their sewer! We share it with the rats. Tell me, father, how can a once brave warrior, more powerful than any human leader, stay in their sewers and talk about honor?"

With a look of pity and disgust that he could not hide anymore, he asked his father:

"What happened to the great leader you once were? When did you become their pet?"

_This cannot go on. Something had to be done centuries ago, not now! Maybe it is too late, but I would rather die trying to do something for us than surrender to this situation._

"The humans cannot change what they are, it's their nature", stated the king, trying to reason with his son.

Hearing his father defend the humans only managed to get Nuada angrier.

"The humans!" he spat. "The humans have forsaken their land, destroyed the earth. And for what? Everything they create is meant to destroy and to be destroyed. They live to consume, they are worse than locusts. The empty place in their hearts will never be filled, they will never have enough!"

Breathing deeply, he took a last look at his father and turned towards the court.

"I have returned from exile to wage war against the humans and reclaim our land, OUR birthright. And for that I will call upon the help of all my subjects, and they will answer".

It was a clear challenge of the throne, and it was his right, as the heir prince, to do that, if he thought the king was not leading the people in the right direction. He hoped he would not have to get to this, but it was inevitable. Nuada breathed in deeply and raised the crown piece into view, as he finished his speech:

"The good, the bad…and the worst".

The room was dead silent for a fraction of a second, then gasps could be heard.

The king was the first one to react:

"The Golden Army! You cannot be this mad!", he almost shouted, making a motion to get up from his throne.

Nuada turned to him, with a sad look upon his face.

"Perhaps I am. Perhaps they made me so."

_If I am mad, then it's only the human's fault. However, if I stay idle and let them destroy the planet then there will be no doubt that I really am crazy._

His sister's voice brought him back from his trance.

"But our golden fields cannot grow from so much blood"

Taking a small step towards him, she looked him in the eyes with a pleading expression that made him doubt for a second. However, what she said next angered him more than his father's attitude.

"Brother, let the Army to rest. If this is our fate, let us fade without more bloodshed".

Whatever he was expecting from her, that was not it. He was convinced that his sister would, if not support him, at least have a different attitude regarding their destiny.

"We will not fade!" he said harshly, anger overcoming the hurt in his voice.

"My son, is this the path you wish to take?" the king asked, giving his son a last chance to reconsider. However, it was too late for Nuada.

"It is, father!" he said, holding his ground and knowing what could come next.

The rules stated that he would be considered a traitor and sentenced to death. However, no knowledge of the rules could have prepared him for hearing his death sentence coming from his own father. The hurt was even more intense, knowing that the king would execute not one, but both his children with that order.

Turning to Nuala, the prince asked her if she was at peace with the king's decision, but her answer managed to twist the knife in the wound. The peace and serenity in her voice, as she said that she is willing to die, was maddening.

However, Nuada had other plans. It was his life…their lives, or his father's. He could not die in shame, executed as a traitor, so he made his final decision. He would have to kill his father for the benefit of his people. A random thought came to his mind.

"_For you, sister, anything". That must be revised, he bitterly thought. I'm sorry, Nuala, but I will not fade or die in vain, not even if you ask me so nicely._

Turning to the king, who was visibly shaken by his own verdict, he spoke quietly, almost to himself.

"Very well, death it is!" _Only not my death._

Moving quickly, he managed to disarm one of the guards, killing him with his own sword. The adrenalin made him morph into his usual calculated warrior self, concentrating on his moves and on his next target. His final target was, however, was the king. The battle went as a blur. His trusted friend, Wink, did not hesitate and helped him get rid of the guards. He could trust Wink to fight the devil himself for his sake.

Nuada had one moment of complete clarity when he got hit in the face by one of the guards. He raised his face and looked at his sister. She seemed scared, and the look on her face spoke more than a thousand words. She wasn't so at peace with her death after all.

That idea gave him strength. Taking another sword from the fallen guard, he faced his father, who was flanked by another group of warriors.

This was it.

In a sliding motion that defied gravity, he sliced the guards, avoiding all their blows. The momentum brought him right in front of the king, and, with a last spin, he pushed one of the swords into his father's chest, killing him.

That brought him to a complete stop. The adrenalin rush left way to full realization of his deed and he let out a strangled disbelieving sound. His eyes widened, as the impact of what he had done washed over him. With a shaky hand, he caressed his father's face, as it slowly turned into stone.

Even if he knew he had no other chance, killing his father made him feel more guilty and sad than any other action in his past.

"Father…I've always loved you", he confessed in a shaky voice, his last apology to the brave warrior he once looked up to.

He soon managed to take control of his emotions again. Taking the second crown piece from his father's body, he connected it to his piece then turned to his sister for the final one.

Nuala, however, wasn't there anymore. He clearly heard her cry when he delivered the final blow to his…their father, so she could not be far.

Anger gripped him again, as he remembered her betrayal.

"Where is she Wink? FIND HER!" he shouted.

After Wink left, he turned his attention to people in the court.

He had challenged the throne and killed the king, his adversary. By the court's rules, he would now be the next leader. However, he had to go through one last formality

"Is there anyone here to challenge my right as your leader?" he asked confidently, looking towards the other noble elves gathered in the room.

As he expected, nobody spoke. They were still shaken about what happened to King Balor, and Nuada was, by far, a greater warrior then they were. In his years of exile, he had many chances to improve his skills, while they decided to hide in the underground and tried to live in peace among themselves.

The Chamberlain approached him and bowed

"Sire, we will perform the crowning ceremony whenever you wish."

Nuada watched him, deep in thought.

"That will have to wait until I find my sister and regain the last crown piece."

Turning to the court, he said, louder.

"As your new leader, I have decided to keep my intentions of war. We will fight against the humans and we will prevail. We will not have to hide again!"

Without waiting for their reaction, he left the court room, still shaken by the death of his father and the betrayer of his sister.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - This is paranormal for you

As they approached the elevator in the BPRD center, the agents were already gathering to see the new person. Everyone was curious to see Red's "babysitter".

"I'm telling, you, we don't need this guy", said Red, in a final attempt to change Manning's mind

"Well, I think we do. Evidently, this guy is quite the big shot in Washington. His name is Johann Krauss"

"Johann Krauss. Sounds German", said Red, trying to take the folder with the details out of Manning's hands.

"He's top man in ecto…ecto"

"Ectoplasmic research ", helped Abe.

Adela tried not to smile at Manning's "vast knowledge".

"Yeah, thank you. Ectoplasmic research. Comes highly recommended."

"I don't like Germans. Germans make me nervous", muttered Red, but nobody seemed to listen to him, as the new addition to the team finally arrived.

In the elevator, flanked by agents, stood Krauss. He began his descent on the ramp, while the team could only stare at him.

He presented himself and gave a low bow. Abe was the first one to recover, and said to Red .

"I like him!"

Red didn't seem to agree. Adela and Liz were still trying to figure out what he really was. The thing looked like a suit filled with vapors. He could pass as a robot in a 1950's movie.

_Agent Johann Krauss, huh? This guy makes me feel ordinary and dull. Now this is paranormal for you._

* * *

><p>The team was gathered in one of the laboratories, where Johann Krauss was analyzing the tooth fairy.<p>

"We found this seal on the container. It's the Bethmora clan, 'the sons of the earth'"

"From what I read in your file, you are the brains of this operation. I must say, I'm impressed".

"As you can read in my file, I work very closely with agent Sapien in his training, Mr. Krauss".

Red snorted.

"Yeah, he's right…He's the one with the whip, screaming 'heave' while Abe studies", said Adela.

Manning turned a bit red at that, but chose to ignore her.

"And who might you be?" asked Johann, looking at her.

"Oh, I'm Adela, and I'm not the brains, that's for sure"

"She's a daywalker with some enhanced powers…And with mood swings to match. We trust you'll not wreck this room like you did with the last one", said Manning.

"You can rest assured, for the moment" she grinned. "Let's carry on with this, shall we, Dr. Krauss. We want any information that would lead us to prince Nuada".

"Of course, mein Fraulein. Let's see what this little guy can remember".

With that, he infused the creature with a small amount of ectoplasm, and the fairy came back to life under their amazed stares.

"Now I'm in control of its limbic system. It seems like our friend here remembers market sounds and voices. And what could be a troll language…The troll market!"

_Troll market?_

Liz voiced that thought first.

"The troll market, come on! No one has ever found it."

Seconds later, Krauss lost control of the fairy, the ectoplasm returning to his body, leaving the creature in its initial dead state.

"We know where to begin", said Krauss. "Trolls dwell in tunnels under bridges"

"And documents point to the east end of the Brooklyn Bridge", said Abe.

"The Brooklyn Bridge. We already checked that…", started Red.

"But not with me, agent, not with me. We're moving in!", finished Krauss.

* * *

><p>"He's a modest fellow", chuckled Adela while walking next to Red, towards the lockers.<p>

Red snorted. "He's all smoke!"

* * *

><p><strong>A.N.<strong>

**Ok, now I would usually stop here, call it a day and beg for reviews :P**

**However, I won't. I just realized that, as necessary as it is to take parts of the movie and integrate Adela in them, it's not too thrilling to read, no matter how snappy I make the dialogue, since we all know how things go.**

**So, in a moment of great generosity (and modesty :D ), I have decided to update the story up to the moment when Nuada and Adela meet. Call it a present from the Easter Bunny or something.**

**By the way, I have to warn you that this frantic pace of updating won't last for long. Soon enough, I will begin to update only one chapter at a time.**


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 - I don't think we're in New York anymore

"So, how do these work again?" asked Adela while turning the weird contraptions on all sides, the frown on her face getting deeper.

"Four crystal lenses allow you to see through the glamour, and see things as they really are".

"Amazing, Dr. Krauss", said Abe, worshiping the glasses.

"Well aren't you a kid in the candy shop", laughed Adela. "Red, what do you think?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm ecstatic", he gave her a bored look.

"Yeah, the enthusiasm is practically pouring out of you", she answered him flatly. Then, taking him aside, she said "I know you don't like him, but please bear with this. If it helps, you're still cooler that him", she grinned.

Red snorted. "So, what's with the cape and the hood?"

"I'm too human-like to blend in the troll market. I think my red eyes and claws won't help much, so just making sure."

"You could stay in the van with Liz."

"Hell no, I want to see this!" She let her body transform to a certain level, enough to lose the human appearance, but not enough to fry everyone around her.

"So, how do I look?"

"You look like a vampire on crack…With a hood", laughed Red.

"Good enough."

* * *

><p>"My god, that thing is ugly", said Adela, staring at the creature disguised as an old lady. "She's really afraid of the bird?"<p>

"Yes. Now, get down from there, you'll disclose our position", snapped Krauss.

"She's going to eat the cat, I'm not just going to stand here and watch", said Red, as he started walking towards the thing.

"Get back here agent Hellboy! That is an order."

"I don't think he's coming back. Let's go", said Abe.

They followed Red, who was already threatening the wannabe old lady.

"Come any close and I'll rip your heart!" the thing said.

"Adela, the bird…", said Red, in a bored tone.

Adela stepped closer with the bird cage. _This isn't going to work._ _If this works I'll eat the bird and the metal cage myself._

The thing looked terrified._ "_No, not the canary! No more, no more! I'll take you there!"

_What the…On second thought, I'm not very hungry._

Pushing the bird even closer to the creature, she saw it cower in fear.

_My god, I'm enjoying this. Be afraid. Be very afraid of the little birdie!_

Adela smiled as she walked towards the troll, holding the cage "Start walking!"

The creature took them through a refrigerating room, down a deserted tunnel, to a big round door.

"Open the door", ordered Red.

"No!"

"Open it!", he sneered.

"Threaten me all you want, demon, but I will never open that door!"

Red's patience was wearing thin, so he just punched the creature, sending it a long distance through the air.

"She wasn't going to help us anyway. Now, how do we open this thing?" he asked.

To his dismay, it was still Dr. Krauss that helped, using the ectoplasm to control the complicated mechanism. Red didn't have time to get pissed this time, because the door to the Troll Market opened, revealing to them a whole new world.

"Red, I don't think we're in New York anymore", whispered Adela as they walked through the market.

"This is amazing. We actually blend in here", said Red.

"We need to split up. Red, you and Adela take the left alley. Me and Dr. Krauss will go right. Take a picture of the seal and try to stay undercover."

"Yeah yeah…Let's go, kid", said Red, as he started walking towards the left alley.

* * *

><p>"This place is amazing. I never even dreamt of creatures like these", said Adela.<p>

"Stay focused, we're not here to admire the scenery", scolded Red.

"I know, but I can't help it. The mixture of cultures is incredible. Where should we start with the questioning?"

"Those guys…"

They approached two weird creatures, one of them holding what seemed like a sleeping baby.

"Hey guys", said Red. "Have you seen anyone buying this type of tooth fairy lately?"

"Nobody sells those around here, pal", said one of them

Adela was still transfixed by the baby. It was fused with the troll holding it.

"What about this, do you recognize this seal?", she asked, showing them another picture.

"We don't, you'd better go". _Nice try, thingy! Too bad you're not convincing me._

"Are you absolutely sure you don't know?"

The thing put a hand on her shoulder, in a threatening manner.

"Go! Now!"

Hellboy took the troll's hand off Adela and tried to "persuade" him.

"So you don't know, huh?", he asked.

"No!", the creature replied, taking a step back.

Red followed. "And you won't talk…"

"Never! Ever ever!"

That is when the persuasion got violent, as Red started to treat the trolls like his personal punching bags.

"Feeling a little chattier now?"

"It was Prince Nuada that made the order, ok, just don't punch me anymore!"

"So, it seems like the freak really is the prince."

"I was afraid of that. I almost wanted him to be a delusional elf." muttered Adela. "Where can we find him?", she asked the troll.

"Oh, I'm afraid I can't help you with that."

They didn't have time to press the creature any further, as they got a distress signal from Abe.

"Abe's in trouble", said Red. "We have to go."

They rushed through the market, and arrived at Abe's location, just in time to see him trying to escape a huge troll. The same troll from the art auction. Abe did a good job in avoiding the troll, but his luck was wearing thin, and the creature's metallic hand was about to give him a nasty blow.

Red reacted fast and shot the creature, distracting it from hurting Abraham.

Adela saw Abe getting up and heading towards a blonde pale female that was watching the battle from the side. Dr. Krauss soon was with them. She got there as fast as she could.

"Adela, this is princess Nuala…"

The woman looked a bit scared.

"Yeah, hi! Look, Abe, you can make the introductions later. Now you have to get out of here."

"We can't take her with us", said Krauss.

"We'll discuss this later." As she said that, Red flew over their heads, after being hit by the troll. "Go! I need to help Red. Head toward the exit, we'll catch up."

As they left, she turned her attention back to the battle. The troll punched Red hard enough to send him face first into a puddle. The cigar he was holding was ruined, and that was the only thing that seemed to bother the demon_. _She tried to interfere, but Red pushed her aside.

"Relax kid. I can take him. I have to avenge my Cuban after all," he grinned at her, as he flexed his rock fingers.

"Come to papa!"


	9. Chapter 8

**This is it! They finally meet in this one and I finally stop updating for the day :) Enjoy, and please tell me what you think about it.**

Chapter 7 - Scared of what you don't know?

The battle was getting nasty. Red got a few more blows, but he also managed to deliver some good punches to the troll. After receiving a hard blow in the stomach, Red blocked the next one with his rock fist, smashing the troll's mechanical fingers. Adela couldn't help but wince as she saw the look on the creature's face. She knew she shouldn't care at all, but she also felt a bit sorry for the big guy.  
>Red was as cocky as ever, as the troll was preparing his next blow.<p>

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

The metallic hand flew towards him in the next instant, but the demon avoided it in time, and the fist got stuck in the garbage dispenser. Red touched the chain pulling the troll to his death, and snorted a "Bad luck!". Adela could see the panic on the creature's face, as it tried in vain to release itself. The mechanism of the dispenser kept pulling him, making his struggles useless. Just then, she saw a blonde man rushing towards the troll.

_Oh my God, that's him! _She looked at Red, who also saw the prince, and was just watching the scene attentively.

The prince didn't even bother to look at them, he was too busy checking on Wink, and trying to break the chain. Adela heard him talk to the creature.

"Hold in there, my friend, I'll get you out of this!"

_The creature is his friend? I thought it was just a servant that he used. He actually cares for the troll._

Nuada eyed the chain with a determined look on his face, unshielded his sword and hit the chain with all his might. Aside from many sparks, that didn't have any result. He tried again, with the same outcome. His attempts got fierce, as he dropped the sword and tried to break the chain with his bare hands. No result. Wink was getting closer and closer to the metal spikes of the incinerator.

"That isn't going to work, your majesty", snorted Red, who was patiently waiting for the small performance to end, to confront the prince.

Nuada raised his eyes and gave them a look of pure hatred. Adela saw his eyes for the first time and her heart stopped for a second. They were dark gold, and, aside from the hatred, she could see in there all the despair, panic and fear that he felt for his friend. The eye contact only lasted for a couple of seconds, but she felt like it was burnt into her memory. The prince returned to his attempts to set the troll free.

She could not get his eyes out of her mind, and, for some reason, she could not stand to see all the pain they held. Like being possessed by a greater force, she stepped forward, and got close to the prince. She stopped on the other side of the chain, and got hold of it, just next to where his hands were. He gave a startled look as he saw her pale hands on the chain, but, as he was about to threaten her, she said:

"Step back if you want him to live".

He didn't make any move to step away.

"Step back!" she growled, giving him a fair glimpse of her white fangs, as her eyes got a darker red, and the familiar feeling of her field surrounded her.

The prince stepped back, as the air got heavier. He was watching her every move, ready to kill her in a second if she harmed Wink.

She felt the heavy chain in her hands, channeled all her power, and with a tug that made her muscles scream, she broke it, releasing the troll. The hood covering her hair fell, and her dark locks started to settle, as she returned to her former state. The force from the chain being broken threw Wink back, but he was slowly recovering.

As she finally got under control, she saw the prince staring at her with an icy look that betrayed confusion. Before she could blink, he was holding her in the air, by her neck. Red tried to help her, but Wink had a score to settle. Picking up Nuada's sword, he attacked the demon, not giving him any time to get to his gun.

"What are you?" sneered Nuada.

_Nice thank you, asshole, the pleasure was all mine! _She could hardly breathe, but she wasn't going to let him bully her. Swinging her legs, she managed to hit him in the knee. Although not enough to really hurt him, it was enough to break his hold on her for a second, and allow her to get free.

Not wanting to fully transform in a crowded place, she jumped on one of the buildings, trying to escape the prince. A second later, he followed and attacked her with his spear. Since the transformation was out of the question, and she didn't feel she could do much with her gun, all she could do was dodge his blows and try to run away. _Red, where the hell are you when I need you?_  
>Red was busy giving the troll the beating of a lifetime. Even with the sword, the troll had only one hand, and wasn't in a very good shape. Even so, the thing just wouldn't give up.<p>

Finally, her attempts to avoid being hit failed, and she felt the metal of the lance slice her arm. While the pain wasn't much, it broke her concentration and she was smashed into a wall, with a very angry elf holding her in place.

"I will not ask you again, woman. What ARE you and what are you doing here?".

The pain and the anger of being pushed around started to be too much to control. Lifting her eyes to his, he was met with two deadly-red slits. She grinned, her fangs getting longer as he watched her. Her hair started to sway and the same electric feeling was in the air.

"You ask too many questions", she said, with an eerie voice that made him shudder.

She noticed that, and her smile grew wider.

"Scared of what you don't know, prince?"

Nuada was getting frustrated with the woman, and pushed her harder into the wall.

She remained unfazed, as she continued "Don't be afraid, prince Nuada, I'm not your enemy". Her smile was warmer, but it looked weird on her fierce face.

"I am yours. I will kill you if you don't answer me", he said.

"I do not want to harm you, but you give me no choice". With that, she sent a short shock through her body, sending him through the air, and away from her.

She fought herself for control, as she breathed deeply. _"I'm not your enemy?" What the hell is wrong with me?_

She jumped from the roof, in time to see Red coming towards her.

_Good timing, buddy, I died 3 minutes ago._

"Are you ok? Where is that bastard?"

"I'm fine. He's somewhere around here, recovering from his flight. We need to go, get moving!"

"Yeah, so much for the undercover operation. Why the hell did you rescue that thing?" asked Red.

"I don't know! I wasn't…myself tonight", she replied, as the hurried towards the exit.

"No shit. You transform just to save the enemy, and then you just run away from the bigger enemy", muttered Red.

"I didn't want to fight him and wreck the entire place, ok? About the troll…did you kill him?"

"No, but he will be unconscious for a long time", he said.

"Red," she said, as they were nearing the entrance. "Could you please keep the troll saving bit a secret for now?"

"Don't want to answer questions?" he smiled.

"I don't know _how_ to answer any questions. Plus, Manning still isn't over that smashing-the-laboratory episode", she pleaded.

"Fine. But you owe me! Big time!"

"Thank you for trusting me, Red", she said in a low voice. _Even if, after what happened tonight, now even I trust myself fully._

"Don't be stupid, kid", he grinned, putting an arm around her shoulders.


	10. Chapter 9

_Italic_ = thoughts

Chapter 9 - Last of its kind

They reached the exit, where Abe was busy arguing with Dr. Krauss.

"We cannot take this responsibility! said Krauss.

"What is this noise all about?", asked Red, as they entered the room.

"Red, Adela! This is princess Nuala. She is the twin of prince Nuada and I was just explaining to Dr. Krauss that she needs to come with us." Said Abe, in a very annoyed voice.

_Sister…She looks just like him. Abe said something about her being a princess, but why is she here?_

Adela took a closer look at Nuala, as she offered her hand, to greet her. That was one human custom she could not get over.

The princess hesitated for a moment, but then took the offer.

"I'm Adela. Nice to meet you, princess" She was looking at the her face, amazed by her resemblance with Nuada. _She is as beautiful as he is._

Nuala's face took on a confused expression, as she was still holding her hand. She looked her straight in the eyes and gave her an enigmatic smile. Adela noticed, though, that the princess seemed to be in pain.

"Is everything ok? Did anyone hurt you?" she asked, thinking of ways to torture Dr. Krauss, if we was the one responsible.

"Nobody hurt me, but someone must have hurt my brother."

She looked very confused, so the princess explained further:

"My brother and I share a special bond. Since we were children, whatever injury he sustains, I also get. Whatever knowledge one has, the other also shares. Unfortunately, he can shield his thoughts better than I can. Right now, for example, I know he was hurt, but i don't know what happened."

_Ooooh shit!_

Adela started fidgeting. This was a wrong start, but she had to tell her.

"I'm afraid I am responsible for your brother's injury. I'm sorry you had to feel the pain."

The princess nodded and gave her a cryptic smile.

As the princess got acquainted with Red, Adela was still wondering what that smile was all about. Turning her attention to Dr. Krauss, she finally registered his argument with Abe.

"Why is she with us and why do you say she can't come along?"

_Damn, that sounded rude even to me. Adela winced a bit at the harshness of her own words._

Nuala turned to Adela.

"I am here to offer my help. This is the final piece my brother needs to complete the crown. And this is the map with the location of the Army chamber", she said, showing her a beautiful piece of gold and a cylindrical case.

"Princess, you could give the piece to us, to make sure it is safe", said Krauss.

"No. Where it goes, I go. My father died to protect the truce with the humans and our honor", she said, in a determined voice.

"The lady is in danger, she has to come with us", said Abe.

"I take it that you are willing to vouch for her, agent Sapien?"

"Yes, I am".

They all gave him some confused looks. This was not usually how Abe acted, but his voice left no room for discussion.

"Even so, we cannot take this responsibility upon ourselves", Krauss continued.

"The lady lost her father, what more do you want?", snapped Red.

"Sorry to break this to you, agent Krauss, but you are outnumbered. She's coming", said Adela, wanting to leave the place as soon as possible. She had a bad feeling and knew that the shock won't keep the prince down for long.

Unfortunately, her fears came true. Before they had a chance to leave the hall, the prince appeared from the tunnel, and he didn't look too happy.

"You! Demon. You will pay for what you did to my friend down there. As for you, creature", he said, looking straight at Adela. "You saved his life, so I will spare yours. For now".

_There goes the secret…_

_"_Look, buddy, are we going to talk all night, cause I'm really sleepy_", _said Hellboy, giving the prince a bored look.

Nuada gave him a bitter smile, than took out what looked like a golden egg. The egg started to open in his outstretched hand, revealing a green…_bean? _

"No, brother!" came Nuala's panicked voice.

_Sheesh…It's a bean. What is he going to do, throw it at his head? _Adela almost snorted in disbelief.

The prince whispered something to the bean, and threw it towards them. It started to jump around, heading for water. Abe tried to stop it, but it was all in vain. Adela looked towards the prince, but he wasn't there anymore.

_That was it? _

Seconds later, the earth started to shake, the asphalt cracked and a huge plant-like creature started to grow…and grow…and grow!

The plant finally took a humanoid form and began to smash everything in its way. The team reacted, and they ran towards the people in the area, trying to take them out of the way.

* * *

><p>As Red was rescuing a baby from a car, a limb of the creature flew towards him. She jumped in time and slashed it. The green ooze coming out of the creature's wound spilled on the ground, covering everything in moss. <em>Oh my God! What is this?<em>

The creature didn't do anything to harm her, but followed Red. Trying to escape the thing, she saw him climbing up a HOTEL sign on the side of a building, holding the baby in his tail.

_Is he insane? _She ran towards him, jumped on the same sign and screamed.

"Red, what the hell are you doing? Give me the child!"

"Sorry kid, but this is a bad moment."

"Just let go of the baby, I'll catch him", she said.

"Not a good idea!"

She climbed on the other side of the letters up to where Red was, took the baby from his tail, and jumped on the roof, just as the creature smashed the lower part of the Hotel sign.

Red remained there, with his gun ready. She got to the other side of the roof and jumped on the next building, that had a fire escape. She would not risk jumping all the way down with the child. She could hear Dr. Krauss screaming from the street "shoot it in the head".

Looking back at Red, she saw he had company. The prince was on the roof of the building, just where she stood moments ago. She could not hear everything he was saying, but she got the words "what are you waiting for" and "last of its kind".

_Screw his noble cause! If he cared at all about his people he would not sacrifice this one just to test Red. _

As Red shot the creature in the head, she turned her back on the scene, with a heavy heart, and descended the stairs. _Why does this make me so sad? I'm disappointed with him, but mostly with myself. For a moment, I actually understood his actions and I felt sorry for him. I'm a moron!_

She got back on the ground at the same time with Red, absently gave him the baby and stepped towards the dying creature. The earth was transformed by its "blood" and the place looked like a wonderful garden. The creature's head opened into a big flower, which sent pollen flying into the air. The particles came down to earth, looking like snow. The beauty of the place was heartbreaking; especially knowing it was caused by the death of the creature.

_Last of its kind…_The words were coming to her mind again and again, like a mantra. Her eyes stung. She lifted her hand to her face, to see it was wet. _What on earth…I'm crying? I haven't cried in centuries!_

She felt herself being watched, so she looked again towards the top of the hotel building. The prince was still on the roof, giving her an intense stare. This time, though, the hatred was in her eyes.

Their little staring contest was broken by noises coming from the ground. She saw Red surrounded by cops and other people. They didn't seem very friendly. The cops had their guns pointed at him, while people screamed insults. One called him 'freak' and dared to throw a rock at him, which got him just below his eye. The anger she felt towards Nuada was redirected. She had to take deep breaths to prevent killing the idiots. That would not be a good idea. She started to count to ten, breathing deeply, as her eyes went through various stages of red. She calmed down a bit after Liz burst into flames, making the crowd go dead silent.

Remembering the prince, she looked towards the roof again, but the place was empty. Deciding that she saw enough for one night, she stepped into the truck, wanting nothing than get as far away as possible from everyone.

* * *

><p>A.N. Only one chapter this time. The next one will be a Nuada chapter. Please review!<p> 


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 - What on earth ...?

Nuada was fuming while working on a replacement for Wink's lost arm. The damned demon almost killed his friend. While Wink was out of any danger and just needed some time to recover after the fight, the image of him stuck in the garbage dispenser was still haunting Nuada. That was too close. He could not bare to lose Wink too. Not after what happened in the last few days.

He knew that they might try to find him. He knew of the existence of Hellboy and the others in the organization that defended humans. The idea made him frown every time he thought about it. He knew about them and they didn't even know he existed, up until now. That used to give him an advantage, but now, the element of surprise was gone.

In the last months, since his return, he noticed their activity and watched them from the shadows, growing furious with their attitude. They defended the humans no matter what, never thinking that the beings they fought for might not deserve the effort.

The demon tried his best to fit in, but Nuada could see it was just in vain. He could not and would never be one of them. He tried to tell him that, in their brief reunion, and he knew he struck a chord.  
>The water creature that was always with the demon didn't seem as keen to blend in. He had to admit to himself that he appreciated the creature's habit of speaking only after thinking. That was a rare quality, regardless of the species. As for the third person in the group, she was human. A human that could burst into flames and scorch everything around, but still a human. She seemed to share a special bond with the demon, another thing that confused Nuada to no end. That type of relationship seemed ridiculous to him.<p>

The frown on his face got deeper. The night before, he finally met the human-defending creatures face to face, as opponents. However, there was a new addition to the group. That woman...He never saw her before during his observations, and the worst thing was that he could not figure out what she was. He knew almost every creature that lived on this earth. During his exile, he traveled high and low, meeting other beings he knew about only from books or from his father. Even so, he could not pin the woman into a category.

The fangs and the colour of her eyes led him to think, in the first moment he saw her, that she was a vampire. However, that possibility was soon ruled out, when she broke the chain holding Wink. She used a special type of energy that was also unknown to him. Yet another reason to be frustrated.

Following that thought, he couldn't help to wonder why on earth she saved Wink from a certain death. And then her voice rang in his mind "_I am not your enemy..._"

Even the memory of her voice gave him chills. It was melodic, but frightening, like two different people whispering at the same time, the sounds combining to create one single otherworldly voice.  
><em>"Scared of what you don't know, prince?"<em>

He actually growled at that memory. The fact that she picked up on that single moment when he felt a bit scared of her made him furious.

The growl startled Wink, who was resting in a corner of the underground room, on a pile of rags.

"I'm sorry to have disturbed you, my friend", said Nuada, while assessing the state of the troll.

"Are you feeling any better?"

Wink nodded and turned his eyes to the prince.

Nuada looked at him and gave a small smile. "Your new arm is almost done. I will be able to attach it soon. Seems like all the "junk" I keep around is useful after all", he smirked, looking at Wink.

Wink snorted in disbelief and almost rolled his eyes. He had told Nuada dozens of times that he should learn to throw some stuff away. The elf kept everything, making his underground shelter look like a storage room.

He guessed that, after years of wondering around, without a place to call home and with no possessions, the elf had a hard time re-adapting. His sense of property just went wild.

Wink got rid of some of the stuff from time to time, when Nuada wasn't around, and the elf didn't seem to notice, or he noticed and didn't mind. However, Wink knew better than to mess with Nuada's weapons or with the mechanical objects he forged.

He had to admit that, while not giving much patience to other beings, the prince had infinite amounts to spend on craftsmanship. His arm was proof. He lost the limb in a battle, long before he met Nuada, and the prince was the one who made his metallic arm, infusing it with magic, so the troll could control it. The arm he had just lost in the battle with the demon was only the last in a long series.

Nuada kept perfecting his creations. Fortunately, the prince had kept one of the previous prototypes, that only needed some adjustments.

Digging up one useful item would prove Nuada's point and would make the elf gloat for many months. So much for cleaning the place, the troll groaned.

Nuada heard his friend groan and looked towards him with an amused expression. He could guess what Wink was thinking about.

His work on the arm was finished and he was grateful that the troll had managed to distract him from his dark thoughts, even for a short while. However, as soon as he started to attach Wink's arm, the cursed images came back.

_What on earth is that creature and where did she come from. Why is she with them and just how powerful is she. Is she a major threat? The damned creature managed to push me away but that is only because I was distracted and I had no idea what to expect. I cannot afford to make that mistake twice._

The more he thought about it, the clearer it seemed. He needed some research on the creature. Right now it had the upper hand on him, but he planned to turn the tables soon enough.

* * *

><p><strong>A.N. I want to thank you for the reviews. At first, I only wrote this for myself, driven by frustration. Yeah, I hated the ending of the movie that much! It left a bitter taste in my mouth, so I wanted to imagine my own story. I'm glad some other people find it worth reading.<strong>

**Oh, and a special thanks to nekuranekomegami . You reviewed every chapter and really seem to love the story, so that alone makes it worth posting :D**

**The next chapter, another Nuada special, should arrive in a few days. Let me know what you think.**


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 - I want some answers

Walking through the troll market didn't help Nuada's mood in the least. The creatures were doing their best to keep out of his way as he advanced through the crowded place. He could see they were afraid...terrorized was actually the term. They all knew what happened to his father and they showed him the proper respect, but they were driven by fear. He didn't want that. A reign of terror wasn't what he had in mind. He would have to make sure they knew that. He would make them understand that his actions were necessary, for their common good. He would succeed, he had no doubt about that, but he would need time to prove himself to them. First, however, he would have to sort out the mess brought by the paranormal team.

Wink was still in his bed, resting. He had reattached his arm and now the troll was on a fast way to recovery. The wounds were healing quickly, so Nuada saw it as a good moment to put his plan into action.

He was heading to the one place that could help him get answers. The library.

* * *

><p>"Sire!" the librarian bowed when Nuada entered the chamber. "You honor me with your presence, my lord".<p>

The priced raised an eyebrow at the greeting, giving the librarian a cold stare.

_I beg to differ. After all, you were my father's most trusted and loyal subject._

Nuada chose to keep silent and acknowledged the creature's greeting.

"I came here to get some answers", he finally voiced.

The very pale creature's skin turned even whiter.

_He thinks I'm here for the map to the Army...I can turn that to my advantage._

After letting the librarian struggle with his anxiety for a few more moments, he finally decided to speak.

"I am not here for the map, Seastnan", he said, as he started pacing the room.

Seastnan visibly relaxed at that, but he seemed even more confused.

"I would not think you would give the map willingly to me. After all, my father trusted you with it for a reason. I also happen to know that the map is with my sister", said the prince. Then, with a slight grin, he continued:

"Worry not, however, I will have it," said Nuada, giving his subject a pointed look.

Not waiting for a reply, he resumed his speech.

"I admire your loyalty to my father, and I trust you will prove the same loyalty to me, as your next king".

"Yes sire," said Seastnan, giving his future lord a deep bow.

Nuada could tell that the creature was still afraid of him and decided to take advantage of that.

"I am here to gain information on a certain type of creature that I have encountered recently", said the prince.

Seastnan raised his face at hearing that. He was a curious being after all, and was very eager to know what stirred the prince's interest so.

"What kind of creature would that be, my lord?" he finally asked.

"That's precisely what I want to find out. She looked like a vampire, but had a unique type of energy surrounding her. I want to know everything there is to know about her like" said the prince in a stern voice.

He hated to be in this position. He hated not knowing, but he would gladly step on his pride if that gave him the upper hand against that woman.

A glimpse of recognition crossed the librarian's face for a moment, but them he looked very confused.

"Excuse me, sire, but did you say she?" he asked meekly.

Nuada tuned to him abruptly. "Do you have any problem with your hearing, librarian? That is precisely what I said. Now tell me all you know or find some documents that do mention something like that!"

"I'm sorry, sire, my hearing is working fine. It is another aspect that confuses me, regarding the gender of said creature. It's better that I show you"

"So you do know of their kind!" she prince said, trying not to seem to eager.

"The references are scarce, my lord", said Seastnan, as he walked deeper into the library, heading to a specific isle. "However, I do remember a document mentioning something like that"

Seatsnan knew the library like the back of his hand, and had read all the documents in it. After spending hundreds of years collecting and taking care of them, they became his life.

The prince followed the librarian and watched as Seatsnan reached for a very old pergament, tied with black string.

"Ah! Here it is, my lord!", he said, as he looked at the object.

"The paper is very sensitive, because of its age. I was planning to make a transcript of it, but time didn't allow me."

The prince nodded. "I will handle it with care, librarian."

Nuada took the pergament from the librarian and carefully unrolled it. What he saw made him glance at the librarian with a scowl on his face.

"Oh, yes, sire, the writing is atrocious! The document was written by a goblin. Their calligraphy is just awful."

"A goblin?" Nuada muttered, while deciphering the signature at the bottom of the page. It read "Zedk", in sloppy letters.

"Yes, my prince. Zedk was a traveler. He spent his life going from place to place, never settling. As you will read in the document, he was passing through Eastern Europe when he encountered one of the creatures you described. He thought at first that they were vampires, but after he saw them during the day also, he had to reconsider."

"Hn, so they are immune to sunlight", said the prince, annoyed by the messy letters he was trying to read.

"Yes sire. The document will also explain my wonder at hearing the creature you are looking for is female. After observing the creatures, Zedk became obsessed with them and spent years following and tracking them down. He named them Gamas, after the hungarian village he first saw them in. However, in decades of observation, he never saw a single Gama female. He eventually found out why..." finished the librarian, with a dark expression.

Nuada's curiosity spiked at hearing that.

_Damned goblin. He should have mastered his writing before traveling around the world._

"I'll take this with me, librarian, and return it once I am done", said the prince, while wrapping the paper and tying it with the string.

Impatient to get home and read it, he left the library, not bothering to wait for Seatsman's approval.

* * *

><p>A.N. Since I'm slightly bored, I'll also post the next chapter.<p>

Also, I want to apologize for my far-from-perfect English. I noticed some mistakes, like "Come" instead of "Came" and stuff like that, but I didn't have time to edit the chapters. Since English is not my mother tongue (not even my first language in school, to be frank), some tenses might be, in lack of a better word, screwed. :) Sorry for that, and if you see any blatant mistakes, please tell me.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 - Can a blue creature blush?

In the car that was taking them back to the center, Adela got the chance to study the princess a bit more. She seemed very delicate and a bit shy. She talked mostly to Abe, who sat next to her. She noticed that Abe was acting a bit weird in Nuala's presence. The possibilities made her smile. _Óh, my friend, I know that goofy look._

She managed to avoid too much talking. Thankfully, Dr. Krauss either didn't get the "saved my friend" bit in Nuada's little speech, which she doubted, or didn't raise any questions in front of Manning. Either way, she was glad she didn't have to answer about that yet.

It was almost morning when they arrived at the center. Adela went straight to her old room and collapsed face-first on her bed. She was very tired, but sleep was a torture. All the creatures she saw the night before passed through her mind, the troll she saved, Nuada's eyes filled with hatred, the voices of the humans insulting Red, and Nuada again, standing on the roof, above her, telling her "What are you waiting for? Kill it!". She was in Red's place, with her gun aimed at the creature. The voices around her got louder, and she pulled the trigger. The creature's agonizing scream made her wake up with a scream of her own. She was panting. Looking at the clock, she realized that she only slept for an hour.

_This is useless!_ Getting out of the room, she headed towards the library. She had too many questions that needed answering.

Opening the doors, she entered the huge room. Abe was not in his water tank. _Perfect, I get to have the place for myself!_

Climbing the stairs to a huge bookcase, she started to look for anything that might have some information on elves.

"Want to read something? I could recommend you this wonderful book I just finished. It has beautiful poems."

Abe was on the balcony above her, with a huge volume in his hands. She smiled at him, but refused.

"I'm afraid my lyric side will have to wait, Abe. I'm here to look for something else."

"What are you interested in?" he asked.

"Elves, trolls, fairies, the Golden Army, Bethmora , the list is endless. I realized that there's a whole world out there that I had no clue about. It makes me feel stupid…well, stupider", she finished lamely.

"Don't be so harsh on yourself, none of us knew much about them. I think I can help you," he said, as he descended to where she was standing. He took a book from a table and gave it to her.

"This has some information on elves. I looked for the same thing earlier".

Adela smiled. "Wanted to know more about the princess?" As she looked at him, she got the answer. _Does a blue cold-blooded creature blush? _He wasn't, but his anxiety was clear.

"I…I was curious to know more about her, yes…"

"Abe, you like her, stop hiding behind the bush. I was in the car with you, you know…", she smiled at him.

"In the car? What happened in the car?"

_Clueless! _She wanted to roll her eyes at that.

"I saw the look on your face when you were talking to her", she said.

"Oh…Am I that obvious?" he muttered.

"To the trained eye, yes, you are. But stop squirming like a 10 year old. It's not a bad thing to like someone. Quite the opposite, if you ask me", said Adela, trying to make him feel more comfortable.

"And, by the way, I think she's very pretty".

"Yeah, she is", he said with a dreamy voice. "Adela, do you believe in love at first sight?"

She wasn't exactly expecting the word "love" to be brought into the conversation so soon.

"No", she said bluntly.

is face fell a bit, and she felt sorry for her tone.

"I believe in lust at first sight, in crush at first sight, you name it. Love is a bit different, you have to know the person before you use such a big word", she tried to make it better.

"It's just that…I feel like I know her. She has the same gift as me. When our hands touched I got a glimpse of her. The real her, and I loved it", said Abe.

Adela had no idea what to say. People fell in love knowing less than that. The connection Abe spoke of was not disrupted by words or social conveniences. There was no room for lies. She had to agree that it changed things.

"Well, that would not be love at first sight; it would be love-at-first-telepathic-connection, my friend. You can put it on the list of things I believe in", she smiled, making him smile also.

Just then, Liz burst into the room, barely controlling her flames.

"ADELA!"

Adela jumped at her angry voice. _Huh? What did I do?_

"I'm here, Liz. Anything wrong?" she said meekly.

"Thank God I found you. I need to talk to you!"

_Well, so much for my reading session. _

"Abe, I'll leave you the book for now. Leave it on the table, I will come later for it", she managed to say as she was dragged out of the room by a very angry Liz.

* * *

><p>"Ok, ok…I'm coming! What's burning? Except you, of course…" Adela asked, as Liz was still dragging her down the hallway, towards the room she shared with Red.<p>

"You'll see soon enough", replied Liz.

Liz opened the door and pushed Adela in.

"Look at this place! Tell me, am I the crazy one here for complaining about this?"

Adela tried her best not to look disgusted, but failed. At a glance, she could count at least 10 cats, and they kept coming out from everywhere. The furniture was either burned or covered in cans of cat food. The smell was making her gag.

"Fuck!"

"Fuck indeed!" said Liz. "I was looking for my toothbrush this morning…and I found it", she said as she picked it up from an opened can of cat food.

Adela took a step back from Liz, who was pointing around with the dirty toothbrush.

"I don't have a single sweater not covered in cat fur, I can't sit down on that chair anymore, because it's been claimed by the animals and the smell of kitty litter is making me want to vomit", she almost cried! "I know I must be acting like a bitch, but I really can't stand this anymore!"

Adela understood her perfectly, but, for the second time in less than half an hour, she was speechless.

"Red doesn't even listen to me", Liz continued.

"Have you talked to him?", asked Adela.

"Yes, we argue every day about this! Last time we had a fight I blew away the door, that's how angry he made me".

"Whoa there, Sparky! I mean…Have you talked to him without screaming...or blowing stuff away?"

Liz sighed, her anger deflating a bit. "I can't even control my temper anymore, this has gone too far. No matter how I try to talk to him, he just does whatever he wants. I need to leave for a while, I need some space for myself!"

"Going away won't make anything better. Red will just be confused."

"He'll realize it sooner or later."

"No he won't", Adela smiled. "You know him better than I do, subtle things are not his specialty."

"There is one more thing that I need to tell you", said Liz, in a worried tone.

Adela lifted an eyebrow, looking at her friend.

"I'm pregnant".

Adela felt like the whole roof collapsed on her head.

"Say something!" said Liz, annoyed by the lack of reaction.

"Wow. Liz, sorry. I'm just recovering from the blow". Then, she could not shut up "When did you find out? Have you told Red? What does he think…"

"Hey…hold on, breathe! I haven't told Red…yet. I just found out myself. I do have a lot of things to think about…" she said sadly.

Adela knew what Liz was referring to. _There is a small issue when your kid will be half-demon. _

"You have to tell Red. That comes first on your to do list".

"But…"

"But nothing. Then you have to make sure the pregnancy is safe for you", she said. Her tone was not light anymore.

"Even if the pregnancy is safe, Adela, how will my child feel, being rejected by the world…", said Liz in a small voice.

Adela laughed, making Liz look at her like she had two heads.

"Liz, you're not Miss Popularity either. Nor am I, or any of the people in this team. He will be raised by us, among us. He'll be fine. Your safety is the thing that worries me for now."

Liz gave her a small smile. "I promise you I'll tell Red after this whole thing with the Golden Army ends. Until then, please keep it a secret."

"Who else knows about this?"

"Abe. He was actually the one who told me", said Liz.

"Fine, I won't tell Red…", Adela grumbled, but intended to keep her word.

* * *

><p>A.N. That's all for today, people. Please review!<p> 


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 - We have a potion to mix

Nuada's face held a confident smirk as he finished the document. The trip to the library had been a good one indeed. He silently thanked Zedk for sparing him the hard work. The goblin spent years in pursuit of the creatures and wrote down every piece of information he could need. The smirk grew wider as he recalled the words in the document.

"They cannot be easily destroyed. No injury made by any weapon can kill them. I've heard stories of a Gama being blown to pieces in a fight. The lower part of his body was not even attached to him anymore, but he did not die. Instead, the creature collected all the blood on the battlefield, through the energetic field, and reconstructed itself. In a matter on minutes, he did not bear even a scratch. Having that story in mind, some believe, and I tend to agree, that, in the absence of blood, the Gama would not regenerate and would finally die. This is very hard to verify, being almost impossible to fight one of them with no blood being spilled."

That was not a good news. However, after years of research, the obsessed goblin came up with a valuable piece of information. He discovered that the creatures could, in fact, be killed.

"Few know about their existence, and the Gamas try to hide themselves as much as possible. Their numbers are scarce as it is. However, the ones that do know of them see Gamas as a great threat that needs to be eliminated (…) Both priests and dark wizards have tried to find a way to kill the creatures. Only magic succeeded. A great wizard created a potion that could make the Gamas unable to defend or heal themselves..."

That last sentence was not the reason for Nuada's good mood. He owed his smile to the fact that Zedk had served the wizard for years, being almost his slave, in order to get the recipe of the potion, and that he had the said recipe written clearly in the document.

_This, my good friend Zedk, just earned you my forgiveness for your horrid writing._

Wink was looking at the prince with curiosity. He knew that expression on Nuada. He had that smile in battle, when he was about to deliver the final blow to his opponent.

Nuada put the document aside and approached Wink. The troll was already able to sit up on the bed and was just finishing the food the prince had brought for him.

"I can see you're almost healed, my friend", said Nuada, while checking on him. "That is very good, since we have a potion to mix", the prince added.

* * *

><p>Adela finally managed to take some time for herself. Returning to the library, she found her book, sat at one of the tables with a huge mug of coffee in front of her, and started reading. The book told the same story as the legend, but this time it offered more details about the royal court and their customs. Apparently, the twins were over 6.000 years old. That made her head spin and she felt quite ashamed.<br>_I act like I know everything after 500 years. I even tried to patronize Nuala on our first encounter. _She almost face-palmed at remembering that. She wanted more information on the prince, but, to her dismay, the book didn't say much about the reasons behind Nuada's self-imposed exile.

Focusing on the book, she failed to hear the doors open and then close. She felt a presence near her, and lifted her eyes.

There stood princess Nuala, looking at her with a small smile on her face.

"I was hoping I would find you here, Lady Adela".

A bit confused by the honorifics, she smiled uncomfortably and pointed to a seat at the table.

"Princess, I know a life at court makes you very polite, but believe me, there's no need to call me Lady", she said.

"Oh…Then what do you want me to call you?", the princess asked in a childish way, inclining her head a bit.

"Ummm…_6.000 years? Her? ..._Adela is fine. I sometimes answer to "You there!", but I like Adela more", she smirked.

The princess giggled. "I think I started on the wrong foot with names. When Abraham introduced himself to me I told him there is no such name as Sapien".

Adela stared at the princess, but her eyes betrayed her amusement.

"Pointing a knife at him didn't help either", Nuala continued with a playful smile.

_Now this is interesting…She has a sense of humor. I'm beginning to like her._

They started to chat about the first meeting with Abraham, when, suddenly, Nuala's voice became serious.

"Why did you save Wink?"

Adela wasn't ready for that question, so she just stared dumbly at the princess.

"I heard my brother say that you saved his friend, why did you do it?"

Looking into the girl's big golden eyes, she felt the need to tell her the truth.

"I…I really don't know. I can't find a decent explanation for that. But when I saw the panic in your brother's eyes, after realizing this Wink was his friend, I just felt the need to do it", she said weakly.

Nuala smiled. "You know, it's the first time in ages that my brother felt in debt to someone".

"Yeah, he was literally suffocating me with his gratitude", she chuckled.

"He did not intend to kill you last night."

"I don't want to offend you, princess…"

"Call me Nuala"

"Ok, Nuala, don't want to offend, but this is not how I remember it", said Adela.

Seeing that the princess was not convinced, she continued.

"He tried to choke me, to tell him what I am, sliced my arm with his spear and then sent that bean-creature after us. I count three attempts", she said to the princess.

"The bean-creature, as you call it, wasn't sent to kill you. I heard his whisper, he sent it for the Demon", Nuala stated.

_Interesting, _Adela thought, while drinking a bit of her coffee.

"You think my brother is beautiful."

That wasn't a question, it was a statement, and it almost made Adela choke. Her mind went in overdrive as she tried to figure out how on earth the princess knew.

Then it clicked._ Abe's words "She has the same gift as me"_ and the smile Nuala gave her while holding her hand in greeting, when she was very busy comparing her with her brother.

The princess was still smiling at her, taking in her reaction.

"If I remember it well, my main thought was that you are beautiful", grinned Adela, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Actually, you thought 'She's as beautiful as her brother', and that means you were already thinking that he is beautiful when you saw me", replied Nuala looking straight in her eyes.

"Good reply", laughed Adela. "Damn!"

"Adela, hiding from me is useless, and not because I can read your thoughts by touching you, but because I lived more than even you have," smiled Nuala.

_Oh God, now she makes me feel like a brat_.

"It's so uncommon to hear that description of us, I guess you managed to take me by surprise", said Nuala.

"It is uncommon to hear you two are beautiful? I find that hard to believe!" _Doesn't she have a mirror? I feel as attractive as a plank of wood compared to her._

Nuala laughed "To the other elves we are ...odd and quite unattractive. Our scars and eye color make us different".

"You may be different, but not in the bad way. I assure you that other species are quite fascinated. And I'm not talking only about me here..."

Adela smiled at Nuala's light blush. The princess didn't miss her reference to Abe. That subject aside, they kept talking about the team and their activity.

Conversing with Nuala was more pleasant than Adela expected. At a first glance, she was a pretty shy princess, but now she saw that she had a very sharp mind. _Frustratingly sharp._

There was one thing that she wanted to ask the princess, but she had to turn the conversation back to Nuada to do it. Sighing, she asked in a low voice.

"Why did you brother sacrifice that creature just to test Red?"

The princess was confused. "He sacrificed who?"

"The bean-creature. I heard him tell Red that it was the last of its kind. He also pressed him to kill it".

"That's new to me", said Nuala bluntly.

"..."

"The bean-creature", she smiled, "is an elemental, A creator and a destroyer of life."

"Umm?"

"A forest God. And it's not the last of its kind".

"It's not?" Adela blurted, looking like an adult being proved that Santa is actually real. She soon got herself under control, as Nuala was getting ready to leave the table.

"No, there are many more. My brother isn't as evil as you think, he wouldn't do that. The worst he can be accused of, in this case, is lying quite shamelessly". After a short pause, the princess added sadly: "He is obsessed with getting our people out of the shadows. He would never endanger any of the species".

Before Adela could ask her any more questions, the princess gave her a small smile and headed towards the doors.

"It's been a pleasure talking to you, Adela", she said as she reached the exit.

"Same here", she replied, as she was left alone with her thoughts.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 - Got you!

After Nuala left, Adela kept thinking about the night before. After less than an hour, she was fuming.

_He was bluffing the whole time! All that heartfelt crap about the last of its kind was a bluff. I cried and had nightmares because of that!_

As her frustration grew, Abe and Red came into the library.

_ARGH! This is not a library, it's a promenade! _Snapping her book shut, she got up from her seat and walked towards her friends.

"Adela! Here, join us for a drink!" Red said, throwing her a bear. She caught it and joined them on the stairs.

Abe and Red started talking about their sentimental issues, but she soon tuned them out. _One of them is in love, the other is going to be a father but doesn't know it and here I am, drinking because a sadistic elf pissed me off. I've hit rock bottom._

The guys were also going through an alcohol induced dreamy mood, so they started to listen to music. She saw the CD case that had a picture of a sunset on it and groaned.

"If you start singing, I'm out of here!" she muttered.

They didn't pay any attention to what she said, as the next song, "Can't smile without you" started. Abe began to sing along the second verse.

_And so died beauty! _She took a piece of paper and a pen from a table, wrote to them "I'll be back a bit later, when your little talent display is over. Don't get drunk without me!" and headed towards her room.

_Shower, here I come!_

* * *

><p>Less than an hour later, she was feeling much better. Her hair was clean and still a bit damp, and she managed to find some clean clothes. Also, she was going to have a drinking night with her friends. Hopefully, without karaoke.<p>

As she was getting close to the library, her surroundings got weirdly quiet. _They left without me! Those bastards!_

She opened the doors to the library, just to freeze in the next second. In front of her, at the other end of the room, was Nuala, facing her brother, who was a bit too close for comfort. He turned his head the moment he heard the door and met her with an angry look that turned devious as soon as he realized who entered.

"You!" he stated in a menacing voice.

Adela was not ready for this. She was ready for bed, not for a fight. Also, not eating all day and having beer for dinner didn't help. She stood there, unarmed, like a deer caught in the headlights.

In the blink of an eye, Nuada attacked her and she was forced to react. She dodged his attacks, but she was getting nowhere. Finally, her eyes turned red, and she felt her fangs and claws , she now knew that harming him would mean also harming the princess.

_How do you fight against someone who you can't hurt, but who has no problem killing you._

She finally managed to grab his right wrist, stopping the spear aimed at her. Looking into his eyes, she expected anger, but she was met with the most frightening smile she ever saw.

"Got you!" With that, his other hand wrapped around her neck, and she felt something cold being pressed at the base of her skull. She felt a sharp pain and gave a scream as she felt the coldness spread, circling her neck. For a moment that seemed to last forever, she could not breathe. Looking at Nuada, she saw that he was watching her, analyzing her reaction.

He took one step closer to her, as she began to lose feeling in her body. She had no other choice but grip his tunic, in a poor attempt to keep herself vertical. She looked into his eyes, knowing that she couldn't mask the panic anymore. As her body got number, she gathered all her strength and, with a pained whimper, asked:

"What…What have you done to me?"

"You ask too many questions", he replied using her own words, and gave her a creepy smile. With that, he lowered her on the floor and turned his attention to the noises coming from the door.

* * *

><p>She was perfectly aware of what was happening around her. She could hear all the sounds in the room.<p>

She heard Nuala scream at Abe to get back, and then she could distinguish Red's voice, threatening the "royal assness", as he put it.

From her angle, she could catch glimpses of the battle that broke out and she could see that Red wasn't doing well. The prince was far better trained than her friend, and, unlike him, he was also sober.

Nuala refused to give the crown piece to her brother, even as he was threatening Red's life.

At one point, she could hear Liz's voice, and her scream "Red, behind you!", followed by a sound of pain from the Demon.

With an excruciating effort, she managed to move her head enough to see what was happening. Red was on his knees, with the tip of Nuada's lance in his chest, while the elf was giving him an update on his mortality. She wanted to scream, but no sound came out.

After Red fell down, she saw Nuada approach her. He picked her up, but, at this point, she couldn't feel anything anymore. After he threw her on his shoulder, she closed her eyes, hoping that this whole thing would prove to be another nightmare. She could still hear Nuada:

"If you want him to live, and see her again, bring me the last piece. You have two days. My sister will take you to the Army chamber. Nuala… if you fail in giving me the piece, your Abraham will be next". With that, the world around her began to spin, making her lose her last grip on consciousness.

* * *

><p>A.N. Well, here you have it, the new chapter! Sorry, but my story will have to wait for this whole Easter thing to be over. Enjoy and please review, it helps a lot to know your oppinion.<p>

Happy Easter, people!


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 - The test

She woke up feeling a dull pain in the back of her neck. Groaning, she finally managed to open her eyes, to find herself in a…_cave? Where the hell am I?_

She finally lifted herself into a sitting position and looked around. She was on a bed made of dried grass, covered with an old blanket. In the dim light coming from the fire, she couldn't see anyone else in the room. She tried to remember what happened, but her head hurt. All clues pointed to the nastiest hangover in her existence. _Did I drink so much last night?_

And then the memories of the previous evening washed over her, making her head ache even more, if that was possible.

Wind a sharp intake of breath; she touched the back of her neck. There it was. She could feel something metallic surrounding her neck. It was thicker than a necklace, and the damn thing was embedded in her skin at the base of her skull. Remembering her paralysis, she tested her limbs. They seemed to work. In slow motion, but she could move them.

"You finally decided to wake up", said a voice from a shadowy corner. Unfortunately, she recognized the voice. She once described it as beautiful. Groaning, she looked towards the prince.

"You're here, which means I'm still stuck in my nightmare", she muttered.

He walked towards the bed and looked down at her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked in a cold voice.

_Aren't we polite today!_ "Are you making fun of me?" she stared at him.

He eyed her with a cold glare. "What makes you think that?"

"I met you twice, you tried to kill me on both occasions, brought me here and now you're asking me how I feel. Why I feel great! Do you want to talk about the weather now?"

He didn't reply, but kept looking at her.

"What did you do to me and why am I here", she asked in a sharp voice.

"I told you, you ask too many questions".

"That line is getting old, pal." She was getting angry, but, for the first time, she couldn't feel any of her powers surfacing. She looked at him, confused.

"That answers one of your questions", he said.

_The necklace! _He eyes widened, as her hand touched the metal. She tried to break it, but she only managed to increase the pain.

"That won't work" the prince said, sounding a bit amused.

She tried again, but the pain she felt this time made her scream.

"You are human and you will stay like that. You won't manage to break it. But if you enjoy pain, keep trying", Nuada stated, as he turned away from her, heading towards the opposite wall and taking his spear.

She saw him with the weapon and couldn't help feeling a bit scared._ Relax. Do now show fear! He wouldn't bring you all the way here just to kill you…right?_

"Why am I here?" she asked in a low voice.

"I want to test you" he replied, casually.

She knew she looked dumb, but she could only manage a confused "Huh?"

He gave her a predatory look and repeated

"I will test you, creature. Since you won't tell me what you are, I might as well find out for myself".

With incredible speed, he reached her and sliced her upper arm with his spear.

She didn't have time to react, and only registered the pain. With a sharp intake of breath, she touched her arm, to see blood gashing from the wound. He looked at her for a couple of seconds, and then stated:

"Interesting"

"INTERESTING? What is so interesting about a wound? Is blood new to you?"

"So it's true, you can't heal in this form", he mused. "You're as weak and useless as any other human", he continued, staring her down.

_I'm dead! _For the first time in hundreds of years, she was enveloped by a nauseating feeling of fear. Her heart was pounding and she could hardly keep her breath in check.

Nuada didn't pay any attention to her panic. He went back to the weapon wall and threw her a short sword. The sword landed next to her, and she backed away hastily, hitting the cold wall.  
>Holding a similar sword, Nuada ordered her:<p>

"Get up and fight me!"

Her eyes widened for a moment, as her fears came true. He was going to kill her after all. She made no move to pick up the weapon. Shivering, she looked at him, trying with all her might to get a grip on herself.

Nuada watched her, noticing her state.

"Are you afraid, creature? How was it...scared of what you don't know?" he said mockingly.

There was no point in denying what was practically written on her forehead so she lowered her eyes and mumbled "Yes."

"So you are only brave when you know that nothing can hurt you. Without that guarantee you are just a coward."

She winced at his words, realizing how true they were. _I never expected something like this to happen, I always thought nothing could kill me. I'll die anyway, I might as well try to seem brave._

"I thought you realized I'm human. You could kill me without humiliating me further", she replied, gritting her teeth.

"How would that be entertaining to me, creature?" he said, with a feral smirk that gave her chills.

_You sadistic bastard!_ Taking a deep breath, she picked up the sword. _Don't show fear, don't show fear. Maybe he'll do it fast and you won't have time to break down. _

She got up, still feeling dizzy and in pain, and walked towards the center of the room, facing him. She could barely stand. She looked into his eyes and panic blew away her resolve. She wanted nothing more than to run away.

In the next moment, he attacked her. Any other day, she could have avoided his blows decently, but her knees felt like gelatin, her head hurt like hell and the wound on her arm was still bleeding.  
>In less than a minute, she had more cuts on her body, and she was making great efforts to keep herself vertical.<p>

As she was about to collapse, she saw him coming towards her. His sword slashed at her side, and she fell, panting and coughing. The loss of blood was too much.

Nuada started to pace the room, circling her fallen body like a vulture.

"Speed - pathetic…Strength - none. You're weaker than I thought", he said in a monotonous voice.

She refused to look at him. _You made your point, you sick bastard, at least let me die in peace!_

"Look at me!" he said.

As she made no move to obey, he gripped her hair and yanked her head back, bringing her face into view.

"Look at me!", he said, in an angrier voice. "How come you are not healing yourself?" he asked.

She tried to look away, but couldn't._ Why is he torturing me? He knows that answer already._

"You know I can't. Not when I'm like this", she finally answered with an empty voice.

He let go of her and she looked away, but he got her attention again when he stated.

"And even in your other form, you need to take blood from someone or something to do it. Disgusting!"

"How do…"

"My ways are not for you to know," he growled.

She felt really sick. The pain was so great she couldn't register it anymore, she was getting numb.

"I could let you die", he said, as he resumed his pacing.

"Isn't that what you are doing?", she said mostly to herself, while trying to think of at least one person that would be devastated by her death. She couldn't name anyone. Her friends from the BPRD would be sad, but they would get over her death quite fast. She had no family and not many other acquaintances.

_My death is meaningless. My life is meaningless._ The realization was painful and she felt tears in her eyes. After all, she would be the only one crying her death.

Nuada's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Beg!" he said, all of a sudden, looking her straight in the eyes.

"What?" she gasped, confused.

"Beg me to spare you. Say you would do anything for your life and I will reconsider you demise", he replied, not breaking the eye contact.

Her instincts were screaming at her to grasp the chance and beg him for her life, but her mind refused. _For what...He might kill me even if I obey and start to lick his boots._

"I won't. I cannot!" she said, the pain obvious in her voice.

"You want to die, then?" he asked, inclining his head in a gesture that reminded her so much of Nuala.

She gave him a small bitter laugh, but ended up choking.

"I don't, but I don't have a choice. I can only choose to die as your opponent, not as your pet."

She was close to the end and she knew it. Taking a final look at him, she felt both hatred and pity for the prince. "Good bye, prince Nuada", she said, as she closed her eyes for what she thought would be the last time.

* * *

><p>A.N. Here it is, the new chapter. I have big doubts about it, so please tell me if I went off the track. I know Nuada seems a bit too cruel in this, but I think he needed to vent his anger on someone and Adela seemed like the perfect target.<p>

I sent the story to a beta reader, so I might edit the whole thing soon and get rid of the grammar mistakes.

TheBlackPages: Thank you for pointing out that plot hole. I forgot that Nuada's spear can kill anyone, so I'll just pass the blame to Zedk. The goblin was clueless! In conclusion, yeah. Nuada could kill her.


	17. Chapter 16

**Big Oops, people. This chapter was incomplete**. **When I selected the text from the big document i missed the first part, and it took me some time to notice *blush*. So here it is, edited. **

** littlenerd, the next chapter will be longer :)**

**Thanks for the reviews and sorry again for having my head in the clouds**

**Tschüs!  
><strong>

Chapter 16 - Keep your thoughts to yourself!

There she was, the creature that had the audacity to defy him, the threat that needed to be eliminated. She was lying on the floor of his lair, dying.

Or so she thought.

If anything, Nuada was a honorable warrior. Killing her like this would be no better than stabbing her in the back. He wanted to defeat her in a fair fight.

The potion worked perfectly, the creature was close to its demise. Zedk was right about that, now he needed to know if the goblin was also right about the faith of the Gama females. Nuada was curious by nature. For that alone, and he could not allow the creature to die so easily.

He tested her in more than one way tonight. He wanted to know if she had any notion of honor. Had she taken the chance to beg for her life, he would have killed her on the spot. Instead, the creature surprised him and chose to die with dignity.

The woman took one shaky breath. One of her last, he thought.

The last look she gave him, before closing her eyes, was still eating at him. That look of hate and pity, mixed together. How dare this lowly being pity him? He didn't need that, from her, or from anyone.

Nuada frowned, as he went back to the weapon wall and replaced his sword with his spear. He wasn't happy about how the events unfolded in the last hour. Their early interaction didn't have the desired effect. If anything, it made him even more curious about the woman and her kind.

Taking a last look at her fallen body, he decided to put his plan into action.

* * *

><p>Mere minutes after she took her final look at the world, she felt herself being lifted from the floor. She opened her eyes as her forehead hit Nuada's bare shoulder. He was on his knees, next to her, supporting her with his right hand, while he had the spear in the other.<p>

Before she could even imagine the next torture he had in mind, he slashed his chest, inches below his shoulder, creating a small flesh wound. Then, he brought his hand to the back of her neck, taking the necklace out. She felt a sharp pain as he took the metal out of her skin, but the feeling was soon overpowered by a more familiar one.

She could feel her powers returning to her, already trying to heal the flesh on her neck. Her eyes started to turn red and her fangs got longer as she saw the blood on Nuada's chest. She could control herself still, and looked at his face.

He was giving her an intense stare.

"Drink!" he ordered.

She wasn't sure she could abstain even without the invitation.

Getting closer, she trusted her fangs into his chest, drinking avidly.

_Why is he doing this? Is he bipolar, or he didn't have his share of entertainment and wants a chance at a round two?_

Her thoughts were soon forgotten, as she slowly drank his blood. It was like nothing she had ever tasted. It was different in the best way imaginable. While human blood had a rich coppery taste, this was like nectar.

_How can someone so vicious taste so good?_

As she drank, her body got stronger and her wounds healed. The deep gash on her side was the last to close, but even after that, she could not stop. She slowed down, savoring her medicine. She could hear Nuada breathing heavily, and her hands gripped his shoulders, her claws almost breaking his skin.

Her old self was coming back and she was starting to enjoy this position. Closing her crimson eyes, she pulled her fangs out of his chest and licked the wound she left behind. _There you go, your majesty, all nice and clean. _Her thoughts were going in a dangerous direction, and she moaned, as her hands felt his chest.

The sound she made woke her up from her daze, and she pulled away from him, looking confused.

Her transformation was receding, and her eyes were slowly turning back to their dark color.

_I moaned! This is very very wrong! _She felt like digging a hole in the ground to hide in it. She did her best not to look at Nuada, as she muttered a small "Thank you…I guess".

"You guess? You didn't seem to complain, gama. You actually sounded like you were enjoying yourself," he said sternly, still breathing quite elaborately.

She finally looked up at him. He was standing next to her, giving her a weird intense look. Then his expression changed suddenly, to one of disgust and hatred. He came closer and put the necklace back on. This time it didn't hurt as much when he secured it into her neck. Something he said got her attention.

How did you call me?" she asked in a labored voice, trying to sound normal, but failing.

"We will discuss about that later. From now on, I advise you to keep your hands and your thoughts to yourself, creature."

"My thoughts?" she asked, embarrassed and confused. She had so many at that moment, she had no idea what to start with.

_Why did you save me? Why did you almost kill me in the first place? Why do you have to taste so good? Why did I almost jump on you?_

"You don't have to be a mind reader to figure out a moan, woman" he stared her down.

_Oh, that one! _She was really angry now, but mostly at herself. She had to say something to get rid of the embarrassment.

"Don't read too much into that, elf!" she growled. "Let's just say that I'm less…restrained in my other form", she continued on a lower voice. _Less restrained, more primitive and far more stupid, if you ask me._

Just as she blurted that out, she realized that she was in no position to growl at him. Thankfully, he didn't reply, as Wink came into the room, carrying a bundle of clothes.

The troll walked to her and she made a swift motion in the opposite direction, bracing herself for more beating. When no pain came, she looked at the troll with a questioning expression in her creature dropped the bundle front of her and stared her down. Gulping, she finally dared to ask:

"Are these for me?"

The troll responded with a nod, but didn't make any move to retire. However, now that she was slightly calmer, she realized she didn't feel any danger. She guessed he was just curious.

"Ummm…Thank you?"

"Creature!" said Nuada, referring, obviously, to her. He was nice enough to refer to the troll as his friend.

"Yes", she barely replied.

"Go clean yourself and get changed, you look disgusting."

_Ouch! _She was sick of hearing his insults, so she got up, picked up the clothes Wink brought for her and followed the troll down a corridor, to a corner that was hidden from view. While she was leaving the room, she muttered a low "Bite me, your majesty", hoping he didn't hear it.

* * *

><p>A.N. This chapter is quite short, but at least it doesn't leave the story hanging. I keep changing my mind about what should happen next, so maybe the next update will take a bit. I just realized some things weren't quite ok in my original plan, so I'm rewriting bit parts of the story.<p>

Well, tell me what you thin of it. BTW, not only I accept constructive criticism, I really want it! It helps me make this slightly better. Thanks!


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17 - It's a long story

_So this is the shower. This explains the problems people above have with the water pressure. _The creatures had diverted a branch from the main water pipe, put some sort of tap on it and used the water as they pleased.

After she washed the blood off her body and hair, she dried herself with a cloth she found in the bundle and put on whatever the troll gave her. It happened to be a dark red dress. The model was similar to the one Nuala was wearing, but the material was not as fine. It looked like a cheap replica of a designer gown, but it still seemed fancy to someone who spent the last decades wearing jeans.

Careful not to get wet, she cleaned her own clothes as well as she could by using only water and came back to the main corridor. Wink was waiting for her, to escort her back to Nuada's lair.

Adela felt weirdly at ease around the troll. She could see now that he meant no harm, unlike his royal friend. The prince scared her, and she was still struggling with the feeling. In her normal state, she would have acted completely different. However, weather she liked it or not, she was at his mercy and she needed to play it safe. At least for the moment.

* * *

><p>When she stepped back into the lair, Nuada was busy arranging his weapons. Trying not to stare at his still bare upper body, since he was so "disgusted" by her thoughts, she hung her wet clothes near the fire and went back to the so called bed.<p>

She didn't have time to sit down, as the prince approached her.

"That is my bed", he stated.

"Umm, sorry", she said, taking a step back from him. _He has no notion of personal space, I see._ "It's not like you have many choices around here", she said, looking around.

"I'm not done with you for tonight. When that time will come, the floor will be all yours", he said with a wave of his hand, meant to show just how big the cave was. All the time, the same sadistic smile played on his face.

Looking around with an eyebrow raised, she finally stared back at him with an incredulous look.

"I don't know if you took time to notice, but the floor is made of stone. It also happens to be cold and wet."

"Are you going to stand there and state the obvious all night?" Pushing her aside, he sat down on his bed. "Because you'll do nothing but waste my time"

_I'm too tired for this. Even the wet floor looks good; I think I'll just pass out._

His voice brought her back to reality.

"I have more questions for you and you will answer them. Sit down!"

_Where the hell?_

"Sit down!" he repeated, raising his voice.

That made up her mind really fast. The last time she heard him say that he was in art gallery, about to release those odious tooth fairies. In a second, she sat down exactly where she was, not caring about how cold or wet the stones were.

"Better", he said, sounding satisfied with her obedience.

_Speak for yourself, elf, you're not the one sitting in a puddle. _

"Now that you are comfortable, gama, tell me how come you are the only female of your kind?"

_That name again..._

"Gama?" she asked, testing the sound of it.

"That is the name my people gave your kind. Answer my question!"

Adela frowned, the unpleasant memories that she tried so hard to get rid of being brought forth. The question was a very delicate one and, in order to give him an answer, she would have to tell him too much about her.

"It is a very...long and complicated story", she sighed.

"You are not going anywhere", he stated. "Need I remind you what will happen to you if you don't answer?"

"I assure you my memory goes further than five minutes back, prince Nuada. I also can assure you that the memories hurt more than any wound you could inflict" she said bitterly.

_What do I have to lose by telling him, anyway? _

"I'm not the only female of my kind...I don't think I am. However, I am one of the few, because...the males kill their mates" she said, with a disgusted tone.

The prince did not seem to surprised about that, but he did have further questions.

"I thought you could not be killed, creature"

"I can, as you proved tonight," she frowned. "It's a ritual killing. I told you it's a very long story. I'll have to explain."

"Do so", he muttered, impatiently.

"I don't know much about our origins. I researched for years and I could only find scarce references. So I do not know if it's a curse or just nature trying to keep our numbers low, but only male...gamas are born. Not once was a female conceived. So, in order to reproduce, the males choose their future mates and transform them into what you see," she said, gesturing to herself.

Seeing the dark look on Nuada's face, she continued. "So males are born and the females are created. We are created for one purpose...to give birth to another male gama. We have no rights; we are barely considered individuals in their society. Once the female gives birth, she is killed. Her blood is fed to her newborn, so she cannot regenerate. Afterwards, her body is burnt, to make sure nothing is left of her" she finished, with a lump in her throat.

"I guess you want to know how I managed to survive", she mumbled.

"You guess correctly," he said, his tone not as harsh this time.

"That is another story. I don't even know where to start..."

"Start with the beginning," Nuada said. His voice was different this time, void of any aggression, and she looked at him, surprised.

_At least he understands how painful this is to me._

"I'll tell you about my beginning, then"

Sighing, she started her story.

"I was born in 1550 in a mountain village in Eastern Europe. My mother died shortly after she gave birth to me. I was her only child. I was raised by my father and my grandmother. We were not rich, but we could live decently with what my father gained. He was a merchant, and spent many days away from home. However, when he died, by the time I was ten, the story changed. Without his revenue, we became extremely poor. That proved to be my salvation and my damnation at the same time, " she said with a mirthless laugh.

"How so?", Nuada asked.

His question startled her. She didn't expect him to be so interested in this part of the story.

"My salvation because no family in the village wanted to marry their sons to me...Those mindless idiots! I would have been the wife of a dimwit. I didn't want that. My damnation because it marked my fate and made me an easy target for _them_. The gamas, as you call them.

I was left alone with my grandmother and we lived with what we could grow on our own. We had a few animals and a bit of land, so it was possible. By the time I reached my 23rd birthday I was, in the eyes of the villagers, a spinster, condemned to live and die alone. I, however, could not get used to the idea. I had high hopes for myself" she laughed again.

Looking at Nuada, she continued "I was such an idiot, I wonder what made me think 500 years would change that. I was a dreamer and I strongly believed in a great fate designed for me by the gods. I spent every free moment wondering around, exploring the mountains and reading. I read everything I could get my hands on. The books told stories of poor girls becoming queens, falling in love with princes and living happily ever after. To my young heart, that made perfect sense.

You might understand then why, when a young lord moved into the mansion close to my village, my imagination went wild. I was extremely curious to see him. He became the main target of the villager's gossip. They said that not one, but two young men lived there, the relationship between them being unknown. The people thought they were brothers, because they looked similar. Few villagers had seen them, and only once or twice. I had yet to see them, but my curiosity was stirred.

The garden surrounding their big house on the hill was a paradise and I used to spend a lot of time there as a child. However, now that the mansion was inhabited, it was no longer permitted. I snuck in anyway, trying to catch a glimpse of the lords. I had no idea that, while I was spying on them, one of them was watching me.

One evening, just when I was getting ready to give up and go home, I felt watched. I had the feeling that someone was behind me, but I couldn't see anyone there. Thinking I was paranoid, I started to descend towards the village, taking the scenic route, in case anyone saw me and asked what I was doing there. As I was crossing the forest, someone appeared on the path, ahead of me. I stopped immediately, searching my brain for a plausible explanation. Just then, the person turned and I could only stare like an idiot. He was the most beautiful man I had ever seen" _until then, anyway, _she thought, catching a glimpse of the prince.

"His skin was very pale and his eyes were very dark, but they managed to burn me. I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. I still remember the dialogue, like it was yesterday:

"I believe you wanted to see me, so here I am"

I could only babble "I...I'm so sorry for trespassing"

He chuckled, approaching me "You are a curious little thing, aren't you?"

I could feel my cheeks burning as the blood pounded in my head "Sorry..."

"Don't be", he said, taking my hand and kissing my wrist, just at my pulse point. "If you are still curious tomorrow, I will see you again then", he said with a smirk, and a moment later he was gone, leaving me in the forest almost hyperventilating.

Needless to say I fell for him hard and fast..."

"Shallow human", Nuada muttered, resentment clear in his voice.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You fell in love with him only because he appealed to you physically, your feelings had no depth."

Adela frowned. "That wasn't the only thing that made me fall in love with him. I admit that looks had a great impact, but it was also the mystery surrounding him that appealed to my over romantic brain. Also, he was the first male that paid any attention to me. As pathetic as it may sound, I took the little he gave like someone dying of thirst would take a few drops of water," she sighed.

"Carry on with the story!" Nuada urged.

"As you wish. I kept seeing him for weeks, and each day I felt my feelings for him grow. My grandmother could see that something was different about me, but I always told her the spring air was helping my mood and that there was nothing else going on. I knew that my secret love was different from many humans, but, instead of scaring me, that only made him more appealing in my eyes.  
>After one month, he told me what he was. He gave me the pretty version of it, and, after the initial shock, I decided to stay with him no matter what. So, when he asked me if I wanted to become one of them and live with him forever, I embraced the opportunity.<p>

At that moment, I saw it as a blessing. Who wouldn't want to be with their love forever and ever, not altered my time, disease or death? He gave me three days to say goodbye to my old life. I spent those days close to my grandmother, feeling guilty for leaving her. However, I thought that once I became one of them, I could come back and see her from time to time, even if I could never tell her the whole truth.

After my time expired, I went back to the mansion, to start my new life.

The ritual was a simple exchange of blood. He bit me and drank, then gave me his blood in return. What followed this ritual wasn't as simple. For days, I felt excruciating pain. I felt like dying, and, in a way, I was. The transformation took longer than even they expected, but, by the tenth day, I was a new being. My skin was very white, my eyes, that were brown before this, were now a dark red, I had fangs and claws. There was nothing human about me anymore. I could not recall anything before my transformation either. I had no idea who or what I was. I was like a lost child. A child with extremely violent urges. I felt the need to hunt, kill and feed.

The love of my life then locked me in the basement. There were two cells there, one for me and another one for another female. The other girl looked similar to me and she was pregnant. I later deduced that she was the mate of the other lord who lived in the mansion. My "lover" came to me once a day, to bring me blood and to try to procreate..."

Adela took a deep breath and tried to keep her voice steady. _This is extremely embarrassing. Now I remember why I never told this to anyone._

"I lived like that for I don't know how long. I was like an animal. Whenever I tried to recall anything from my past, I ended up in pain, and, just like a rabid dog, I could only react violently. Then, one day, the time came for the other female to give birth. The males came and attended to her. I was forgotten for the moment.

My luck was that they had underestimated me. They treated me like a pet and thought I didn't know any better. So they felt confident enough to perform the ritual right there. I saw it all. Centuries later and it still makes my skin crawl," she said, almost panting, as the memories of the murder danced before her eyes.

Nuada waited for her to regain some composure, then asked:

"Were you lucid enough to know that will eventually happen to you?"

"No...In the thick fog of my consciousness I only registered the danger. My instincts told me I had to get away from there. However, I must have had slight coherence to my thoughts and a bit of logic, because I didn't react on the spot and I waited for the right moment. The next day, when the bastard came for my daily meal and rutting session, I lashed at him. Back then, I had no idea of my own strength. I only knew I had to get out. The element of surprise saved me. He wasn't expecting that, so I managed to hurt him and I found my way out of the mansion. I can't recall exactly what happened next, it's all a blur. I know that I ran through the forest as fast as I could and I hid in a cave. I had no idea how far away I managed to get. If they went out to look for me, they never found me. I never saw them again."

Finishing the story, she looked at him, expecting him to tell her again how disgusted he was. However, he didn't say anything; he just looked at her, with a cryptic expression on his face. She kept the end of her story to herself. He didn't ask about anything else, and she didn't want to live that particular memory again.

"That's all, prince Nuada. There might be other female gamas in basements as we speak, so I don't think I'm the only one alive."

"Is there anything you are leaving out of this? You say he tried for months to conceive a child with you."

"I was never pregnant, if that's what you're implying", she said, sounding angry. _I told him every painful detail and he still doesn't believe me? _"I don't know if there's something wrong with me, or if there was something wrong with him or if karma just decided to be on my side for once. I frankly don't give a fuck. I told you everything you wanted to know, I want to rest now," she said, getting up from her spot.

The prince didn't try to stop her this time, but he never took his eyes off her either.

_What the hell is he staring at?_

She looked for a dry spot, and found one, near the wall opposite to his bed. It was far enough from him to be comfortable. Sitting down, she curled into herself, trying to ignore the hardness of the surface and a rock that kept poking her in the ribs. Sighing, she looked around. Nuada was still looking towards her, but this time he seemed deep in thought. She scanned the room for Wink, but he wasn't there anymore. She had no idea when he left, being caught in the memories.

Finally, she felt sleepy and started to doze off. Unfortunately, as soon she fell asleep, the nightmares came back. The memories and the fact that she had been so close to death made it impossible for her to avoid them. She kept seeing Nuada, circling her, telling her he could let her die, and she felt like choking again. Then, the scenery changed. She was in the basement of the old mansion, but this time, Nuada played the part of her captor, threatening to kill her after she gave birth to his heir.

She was brought back to reality when two strong arms lifted her from the floor and placed her onto a softer surface. She opened her eyes and saw Wink. The troll put her on a bed similar to Nuada's and covered her with a rough blanket. He must have brought in the dried grass and the rags while she was sleeping. She wasn't expecting the gesture, and her face showed a true smile. "Thank you so much!" she said, touching his huge hand. Moments later, she was asleep again, this time battling no more nightmares.

* * *

><p>A.N. Not much interaction between the two in this chapter, but I'll make up for that in the next one. Please tell me what you think :)<p> 


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18 - Your weapon of choice?

The creature finally fell asleep minutes ago. Even in her slumber, her face held a grimace of pain. She was tossing and turning, looking extremely uncomfortable on the cold stones.

Nuada finally took a moment to take a better look at the girl. There was nothing special about her. Her features were delicate; he could go as far as saying that they were quite beautiful. However, she had nothing of the royal grace of his sister and she paled when compared to the other elves.

Her restlessness increased and she started to mumble something in her sleep. In was clear to him that she was having a nightmare, and he couldn't blame her. After all, it had been a stressful night for her. Taking his eyes off his prisoner, he looked towards the entrance.

"Wink, are you still there?"

A low grunt was his answer, as the troll stepped into the room. Bowing his head to Nuada, he turned his face towards the woman, noticing the same thing as the prince. Then, the troll looked at his friend with a slightly reproachful expression on his face.

Nuada raised a pale eyebrow at that, but decided not to ask. He knew that Wink was feeling in debt to the woman, after she saved his life.

"Go to the market, my friend, and find something suitable for a bed, " he finally said.

Letting the woman sleep on the wet floor was not as entertaining as he first imagined.

Wink nodded, the reproach turning into a light smile, and left the lair.

Soon he was back, carrying a couple of old blankets and a huge sack of dried grass. Some of the creatures in the troll market could disguise themselves as humans and could bring different things from the surface, to sell them in the market. While moving a bed into the underground would have attracted too much attention, small things like blankets, pots and fire supplies could still be carried.

The prince got up and helped the troll with his task. They arranged the grass in a dry spot, near Nuada's own bed, and covered it with one of the blankets. After that was done, Nuada walked towards the woman, but stopped before he reached her. Turning towards the troll, he said:

"Wink, move the woman to her bed and then go get some rest. You will need it in the following days."

After Wink took the girl into his arms and put her on the soft surface, the prince went to his own bed, trying to ignore his reaction to her smile and to the sound of her voice, as she thanked the troll.

* * *

><p>She was feeling comfortable and warm, and wanted nothing more than get back to sleep. However, she could hear some weird sounds, and curiosity got the best of her. Opening her eyes, she saw Nuada in the middle of the room, on the same spot he fought...better said beat her to death the day before. Or was it the night before? She couldn't tell. Nuada was training, fighting the air, jumping and rolling, handling the spear like it was an extension of his arm. She was impressed by that, but, at the moment, she was more interested in his muscles. Soon enough, though, she remembered the "Keep your thoughts to yourself" line. She was a bit hurt by that statement, and her pride would not give him the chance to repeat it.<p>

Still lying on the bed, she stared at the high ceiling. Something was different about the room. She realized that it was the light. Whereas before she could only see things in the light emitted by the fire, now she could distinguish the details of the walls. A weak ray of natural light came through a small opening in the ceiling. It wasn't enough to fill the whole room, but in was there. That meant it was daytime. Having that knowledge calmed her a bit. She felt less disoriented.

Moving her head to the side, she stared into two pairs of small eyes, belonging to a small creature that was right next to her. With a loud scream, she jumped away, accidentally hitting the small being, and pressed her back into the wall, almost banging her head on the stones in her rush to move to a safe distance.

_Oh fuck! My back is going to bruise from hitting every wall in this damn cave. What is that thing?_

Her scream startled Nuada and he rushed towards her. The creature she just hit was cowering in fear, whimpering. Now that her mind was clearer, she felt guilty for harming it.

"What have you done to the bogart, woman?" Nuada asked, pointing his weapon at her.

Taking her eyes off the whimpering creature, she looked at the prince, and spoke sincerely:

"I'm sorry. He startled me and I accidentally hit him as I was trying to move away. Is he dangerous?"

Nuada glared at her: "Does he look dangerous to you in any way?"

_Oh great, now I feel like I just hit a puppy!_

"No, he doesn't," she said, extending her hand towards the bogart and wincing as he took a step back, frightened.

"I'm sorry I hit you," she said in a soft voice, trying to make amends. "I'm quite slow in the morning and you scared me," she smiled, noticing that the bogart seemed calmer now.

"Come here, I won't hurt you!"

Her smile grew as the creature thought about the offer. Then, after looking her in the eyes for a few moments, he decided to come closer.

"There we go, come here", Adela cooed, taking the bogart into her arms.

"Did I hit you hard? Are you OK?" she asked, inspecting the creature's thin arms.

The bogart nodded at her last question and Adela turned towards the prince, with an apologetic face.

"He doesn't seem dangerous, in fact, he seems kind of cute. But then again, the tooth fairies seemed cute also... I'm so sorry!"

The prince lowered his weapon and the anger slipped away from his face, as he looked at the creature in her arms. The small thing seemed quite content in his spot and he was playing with a strand of her hair.

"What's his name?" she asked the prince, giggling. The bogart was tickling her as he played with her locks. The ticking ended as the creature pulled a bit, not hurting her, but gaining her attention. He looked offended.

"Oh, pardon my impertinence, your grace," she grinned. "What is your name?"

"Pic-Poc," he said, in a pitched voice, then continued to mutter something she could not understand, moving his hands around, gesturing with passion.

"Ummm...I got the Pic-Poc alright..." she mumbled, turning towards the prince. With a confused look, she whispered to him.

"I have no idea what he's saying!"

The prince almost laughed at her confused face, but he translated.

"He said he was just curious about you and that you're rude. He also said he forgives you, because you let him play with what he calls 'your pretty fur'," he smirked.

"So I have fur now," she said, raising an eyebrow and looking at the small creature that was busy twisting a strand. "Well, at least it's pretty," she laughed.

Suddenly remembering her company, she sobered up.

Looking at the prince, she saw him staring back, with that unreadable expression on his face. Swallowing the sudden lump in her throat, she tried to sound as polite as possible as she said:

"May I ask you a question?"

"You just did," he pointed, still sounding slightly amused.

She took that as a yes. Untangling the bogart from her hair, she gently put him back on his feet, then turned back to Nuada.

"Why did you come back now?"

He looked at her with a frown on his face. "You already know the answer to that question. I came back to free my people."

"No, I mean why _**now**_."

Annoyed, he glared at her and spoke, almost gritting his teeth "The humans broke the truce. I promised I would come back when my people needed me most."

"It still doesn't make sense", she said mostly to herself.

"What?" he growled, getting angrier by the second.

"Pic-Poc, it was nice meeting you, but I think you should come back a bit later."

Trying to ignore the fear that was slowly coming back, she cleared her throat and said "Prince, I mean no disrespect. It's just that so many things don't make sense to me right now. I know next to nothing about you and your people and I really want to understand the situation" she said in a calm tone.

He stared at her, still angry. "Creature, you are in no position to make demands".

Getting closer her, his expression changed back to amusement.

Adela watched him, growing weary with every step he took.

_I can't figure out this guy! One second he's angry, the next he's amused. Why is he coming closer?_

Stopping less than a foot away from her, he stared her down and said:

"If you want to ask questions, you first have to earn your right to do so."

Making great efforts not to step back, she replied:

"How?"

"By fighting me and winning," he said casually, leaning even closer.

Adela paled : "We've been through this before. I can't fight you", she muttered, trying to avoid his eyes.

"I don't want you to fight me in this pathetic form", he said, looking disgusted again. "I will allow you to use your so called powers."

Adela's eyes widened at that.

"You would do that?" _What makes you think that if I win I would stay and ask questions? What would stop me from harming you and running away?_

As if reading her thoughts, Nuada took a step back and eyed her with slight disdain.

"You're either underestimating me or overestimating yourself, gama. What makes you think you even stand a chance against me?"

_There's only one way to find out, elf. _The brief confidence must have shown on her face, because in the next moment, Nuada was next to her, and, faster than she could register, he took the necklace out.

Before she could even feel her strength coming back, he was in the opposite corner of the room, holding his spear.

"Your weapon of choice, gama?" he asked, with a fierce smile on his face.

She looked at him, her eyes turning red. With an expression that matched his own, she answered, in her eerie voice:

"Sword, your highness"

Instead of showing anger at her mocking tone, his smirk only grew. He threw her a sword, and, unlike the previous time, she caught it with a steady, confident hand.

"Before we start this, creature, I must tell you...", he said, taking a few steps and rolling the spear in his hand..."This spear can kill you, despite your regenerative abilities. You could drink all the blood in the world and you would still die," he sneered, attacking her in the very second he finished his sentence.

Adela blocked the attack and jumped away from him, landing in a defensive posture.

"Is that so?" she grinned. "Quite an interesting spear you have there, prince" she said, as she waited for his next move.

She didn't have to wait for too long, but she managed to avoid the second blow quite easily.

"But...in order to kill me, you have to hit me," she said, initiating her first attack.

The prince managed to jump away and her sword slashed only the empty space. He was extremely fast. In her fights with Red, she compensated his advantage of strength with her speed and agility. However, the prince had both those qualities in combat and he was also stronger than her. She felt that when she blocked his first attack. She had to make a great effort to keep hold of her sword. She had only one chance to win this. She had to keep a good defensive, and wait for a moment of weakness on his part to attack. In order to break his concentration, she decided to ask her questions now.

"I was saying, before you almost bit my head off," she started, dodging a blow aimed at said part of her anatomy, "...that your actions don't make much sense…" an angry attack came her way and she had to roll away from him, to avoid being hit "…because the humans broke the truce years ago. Why didn't you come back when they started the Industrial Revolution, for example, or 50 years ago?"  
>Nuada didn't reply, but his attacks grew vicious.<p>

"You have not gained the right to ask anything. Avoiding my blows is hardly impressive," he finally said, emphasising his point with a move that brought her a slash on her hip.

Adela growled, realizing that her plan backfired. The smell of her own blood was driving her mad and she could barely control herself any longer. With a snarl, she bared her fangs and went from defense to attack. She put all her force in her blows, making her arms ache, but she did not stop. Her heart was pounding as anger blinded her. That was contrary to everything she learned in her training. Instead of being composed and calculated, she was attacking rabidly.

The second she managed to cut his upper arm, she froze. She realized in that moment that she also harmed Nuala. That thought alone dissipated her anger and made her transformation recede. She dropped her sword and just stood there, not even realizing that Nuada was preparing another attack.

She became aware of that when his spear stopped abruptly, millimeters from her chest.

She looked at him, to see that he was panting. She was shivering, but not from fear this time. She was overwhelmed by her own anger.

"What made you stop, creature?" he asked, sounding genuinely confused.

"I hurt Nuala by hurting you," she murmured. Then, looking at him, she added, sounding almost frustrated. "How can I fight you when I can't hurt you?"

Getting closer to him, not caring that the spear was starting to pierce her chest, she continued, getting annoyed.

"How can I fight you when I don't want to hurt you? I wasn't lying when I said I'm not your enemy. I want you to help your people. It's your way of solving the issue that I don't agree with. You've done nothing but mess with me ever since you brought me here and I played along. I'm ashamed of my behaviour. I was a coward and I acted like a good pet."

Looking him straight in the eyes, she almost shouted "I promised myself I would not be treated like a pet ever again! So kill me, do whatever the hell you want, because can't act like that anymore!"

Nuada sneered, but lowered his weapon. "Impertinent woman, you are alive only because I need the final peace of the crown. I could kill you in a second."

"That threat would work on me only if I were afraid of dying. You already brought me on the verge of death yesterday. I felt the pain, I felt the despair, I said my goodbye. What can you do to me that is worse than that?"

Taking a step away, she sighed and added:

"I haven't done anything against your people, I just don't understand why you feel the need to torture me."

Nuada didn't reply. Without a word, he got closer to her, and this time, she didn't even wince as he put the collar back on. She didn't cower under his angry glare and she didn't move out of his way as he headed towards the exit, brushing against her.

The prince called for Wink and instructed him to guard her, then left without another word.

* * *

><p><strong>A.N. Thank you so much for the reviews, I'm glad you like the story :)<strong>

**And now, a cry for HELP. I think I've been ditched by yet another beta reader. I feel like a big sucker after sending the story to a beta just to get no reply after, but when it happens twice...Well, let's just say my confidence isn't at its highest point right now. **

**So, if any of you people who like this feel merciful (and confident in your grammar), please let me know.**


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19 - Nothing you say will change my mind

Nuada growled as he paced an empty underground corridor. The infuriating woman was right. She hadn't done anything against his people. She saved Wink, for some unclear reason, cried when the demon shot the forest god, and just now she treated the bogart quite well, despite her initial stupidity.

He had his reasons to be cruel to her, in the beginning. After all, she was born human, and her kind, the gamas, never bowed to authority. But now, those reasons didn't seem that valid anymore.

She hadn't been human in almost five centuries. As for her people's disrespect, she was an outcast in their society, so how could he blame her? The disgusting gama that transformed her didn't even tell who she was, how could he expect her to know about the hierarchy of power among the magical creatures. She knew nothing of their kind, but she wanted to find out more...

And now he was making excuses for the damned woman, adding to his anger.

Hitting a wall and dislodging a couple of bricks helped him relax slightly. He would answer some of her questions, not enough to give her any advantage against him, but enough to shut her up. Then, he might be calm enough not to kill her before he got the crown piece.

Ignoring the annoying voice in his head, that told him he wouldn't kill her anyway, he walked back to his layer.

* * *

><p>She had no idea how many hours she spent in the cave, all alone. She tried to venture further away, down the same corridor as Nuada, but Wink was there. He was her guard, and he gently put his hand on her shoulder and escorted her back. She noticed that his arm had been replaced. She was wondering if he had any feeling in it, but she saw no way to get an answer.<p>

The natural light in the cave was long gone. Wink came in to build a fire and bring her some food, but, to her dismay, she couldn't communicate with him.

She spent her time pacing the room and looking at the weapons the prince kept. They were in a very good shape, unlike every other object in the dark room.

The need to smoke was getting strong. Snorting, she thought about her addictive personality. She was addicted to cigarettes, coffee, sugar, music and many other things. The withdrawal was making her snappy. She was also getting bored and tired, from all the walking around, but she couldn't sleep. She had no idea what to expect when he came back. Will he still be angry, will he try to kill her again?

Busy thinking about the possibilities, she failed to notice the return of the prince. His voice startled her.

"Finding the crown piece entrusted to the humans took much longer than expected," he said without any introduction, staring her down.

She jumped a bit, but it was in surprise, not in fear.

"What?" she said, looking at him slightly confused.

Gritting his teeth, she could see that he was making an effort to keep his tone civil. "That is the reason why I didn't come back until now, and the answer to your question."

She didn't reply, only nodded. She wanted him to tell her more, but she wouldn't rush him.

"I've started to plan my return decades ago. The humans have become a threat even to themselves. Their greed became too much in the last century, even for their standards. They don't care about anything anymore; they are a pest on the face of the earth", he said, after a few moments of silence.

"True…" she whispered, thinking that he had a valid point. Humans got so far so fast that they barely kept up with the hectic rhythm of their existence. Their lives became empty. She saw the phenomenon grow in the last century, just like he said. Some humans had forgotten all about their soul, they didn't do anything to nurture it. They appreciated art because it had a material value or because it was "du bon ton", or they went on vacation to ancient cities just to visit the shopping area. She had countless examples of human stupidity and disrespect in her mind.

"Working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need"...she muttered to herself.

Nuada heard her and looked at her with a surprised expression on his face.

"What did you say?"

Adela snapped out of her thoughts. Shaking her head, she softly replied:

"That was just a line from a movie..." _You would really like Tyler Durden, your majesty_.

"You do have a point, and even some humans would agree to that. Not all of them are 'a pest'."

"I am aware of that, " he stated, to her amazement.

Adela was sure her eyes have never been wider.

"What?" she almost shouted. "You agree?"

Nuada looked at her with an annoyed expression.

"Do not insult my intelligence, creature! I have studied the humans, I know some of them are wise and realize their mistakes. However, that doesn't change reality. A handful of humans with common sense means nothing at all. No change is in view, they are and will remain a danger to the Earth and all of its creatures, including themselves."

"But you cannot believe that exterminating them is the solution!" she pleaded, sounding desperate.

Her tone managed to anger Nuada even further. Gritting his teeth, he spat:

"Nothing you say will change my mind about my plans."

"About your plans of helping your people, or exterminating the humans?" she asked, staring him in the eyes. "Because I don't think one necessarily implies the other."

Taking a deep breath, she continued, in a small voice. "I've been wondering from the beginning what is more important to you...saving your people or taking revenge on the humans. After you sacrificed the forest god I honestly thought it was the latter."

"Saving my people comes first," he growled.

"That is not what your actions and statements point to, prince" Adela said, forgetting all about his previous threats. She reverted back to her old self. She wanted answers and she would get them.

"Why can't you adapt your plans? You must know that their society isn't what it used to be. You can't just kill them, they developed too much in the last decades. 100 years ago your plan would have had some sense. Now you want to kill over 7 billion people with 4900 warriors?"

"The army in indestructible" he growled.

She looked at him and repeated…slowly, this time "7 BILLION!"

She saw that Nuada wanted to tell her something, but he stopped in the last moment.

After a couple of moments of silence, he continued:

"I've returned a short time ago, but it was enough to see the pace at which they destroy everything around them. They cut away trees to build parking spaces and more shopping facilities. They are expanding their domain as we speak. I will not stand for that."

Adela sighed.

"I wonder how can someone observe Walmart, but miss something more important, like the US Army". Her tone was ironic and she was on thin ice, but she just couldn't help it.

"My army is far more powerful than that", Nuada replied, in a tone that should have alerted her.

However, she was too angry to pay attention to the alarm signals.

"Where have you been in exile, on Mars? You say you studied the humans. Do you know anything about nuclear bombs, biological weapons and other sick inventions that humans use to kill each other? Humans kill other humans over religion or bits of land, the idiots barely got over the black and white thing, less than a century ago, how do you think they would react to an elf?" Completely ignoring her precarious situation, she walked towards him and pointed at his chest.

"Not even your golden army will survive a nuclear attack. And even if it will, you and your people won't live to see that. Do you actually think your perfect society will flourish on an earth soaked in human blood?", she spat. She had a lot more to tell him, but stopped dead as she felt his spear press at the side of her neck, drawing blood.

His face was the epitome of anger and his voice gave her chills. The bad sort of chills. She realized she should have stopped talking way back.

"You forget your place, creature, I should kill you in this instant. You are lucky that you're even less useful to me dead. I am not debating my plans with you! Nothing will stand in my way. I will awaken the Golden Army and set things right."

He pushed her away from him, and she fell, tripping in the folds of her dress.

"I have no expectations from you, since you were born human," he said, staring down at her. "From now on, you will keep your mouth shut. Next time I will not allow you to heal."

* * *

><p>Nuada didn't leave the cave this time, but he didn't pay any attention to her. He spent some time talking to Wink, probably setting up the last details of their plan. He looked at her briefly, from time to time, as to make sure she was still there, but didn't address her in any way for the rest of the evening.<p>

Seeing that he was set on ignoring her, she tended to the wound on her neck, went to her bed and struggled to fall asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>A.N. Sorry for the delay, I've been writing and rewriting this dialogue countless times, to make sure that their statements don't contradict any future actions. I hope I got it right :)<strong>

**Thank you for your reviews!  
><strong>


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20 - I know you are not evil

Nuada took another glance at the woman, while telling Wink the final details of the plan. She was cleaning the wound on her neck, using a piece of cloth retrieved from a pocket of her old clothes. He took that moment to realize that not once did they have a normal dialogue, without it ending in blood or threats.

He wondered if she was being difficult on purpose or if she just kept forgetting her situation. Whichever the case was, he would not tolerate her impertinence and disrespect.

Her initial question was reasonable enough. He knew that the perfect moment to attack the humans was long gone. He knew all about their recent developments and he was also aware of the fact that they were so many...too many. Nothing she said tonight was novelty to him.

However, no one, not her or his father or even his sister realized that awakening the Golden Army and unleashing it mindlessly upon the humans were two completely different things. For now, his immediate purpose was to complete the crown and gain control of the army. The second stage of the plan was more complicated and needed the support of his people to be completed.

The prince frowned, remembering how everybody jumped straight to conclusions. Like he would ever send the army to destroy everything in sight, without putting his people out of danger first! Like he would ever allow the army to slaughter every creature in its way, also destroying the earth he wanted to protect.

The last thing the woman said made him lose control and he almost killed her.

_Do you actually think your perfect society will flourish on an earth soaked in human blood?_

Nuala had said something very similar, and that final statement made him remember her betrayer.

However, making the gama understand his ways was not on his list of priorities. Telling her more would mean revealing his plans and tactics, and, despite her repeated statements, she was still on the side of the enemy.

Turning his attention back to Wink, he resumed their conversation:

"I have informed the librarian about our journey, the passage will be clear. I want you to stay here, my friend, and make sure everything remains in order until I return. I am counting on you for that."

The troll nodded, and Nuada took that as a sign to continue

"The people have been informed that the council members will keep their positions and will continue their duties. However, no important decision is to be taken in my absence." In a sharp tone, he added "If they disobey that order, you know where to find me. For now, go and rest, I'll see you again in the morning."

Wink nodded again and confirmed his understanding with a low grunt. Bowing to his friend, he turned and left the lair.

Once Wink was gone, Nuada took a final look at the gama. She was on her bed, but not yet asleep. She seemed very tense and uncomfortable.

He hated to admit it, even to himself, but the events that were to happen in the following day also made him slightly nervous. Nothing was certain yet, and the battle was just about to start. Even with the cooperation of his sister, victory would be difficult to attain, but Nuala chose the difficult path. He hated that she was on the side of the others, when she clearly belonged with him. He just hoped that he will have the chance to make her understand his ways.

He wasn't feeling any need to sleep, and the nervousness was keeping him alert, but the prince decided that he had to rest anyway, or at least try.

* * *

><p>Adela woke up with a start after hearing a strange noise. A bit dizzy and half-asleep, she looked around, trying to find the source. She couldn't see very well in the dark room, but, after a couple of seconds, she heard a similar pained sound coming from somewhere near Nuada's bed.<p>

What the hell...

Getting up and silently cursing the long uncomfortable dress, she walked in that direction, but what she saw stopped her in her tracks. The sound wasn't coming from a hurt creature, like she first thought, but from Nuada himself. He was on the bed, tangled in his blanket, his hair a mess around his head. He was having a restless night, from what she could see.

Getting closer, trying not to make any noise, she noticed the drops of sweat that were covering his brow and the pained expression on his face.

He moved again and started to mumble something in a foreign language.

_God, he's having a nightmare. What should I do? Should I wake him up?_

She was afraid that waking him up will make him angrier.

Nuada stopped his mumbling, to whisper a broken word. This time, it was in English, and she could understand it.

"Father..."

_Father?_

Nuada let out another shaky breath, and continued his mumbling. This time, he said something about Nuala.

Torn between the wish to wake him up and the impulse to get away, Adela finally decided that she could not just leave him in this state. Sitting down next to him, on the low bed, she touched his hand.

"Prince Nuada, wake up!"

Nothing.

Moving her hand to his upper arm, she shook him gently.

"Nuada! Wake up" she said, louder this time.

He woke up suddenly and practically jumped in to a sitting position. His eyes were wide and his breathing was elaborate. Still gasping for air, he looked at her with a confused expression, like he was expecting to wake up someplace else.

"You were having a nightmare", she said, her tone gentler than she realized.

He was still trying to catch his breath. Adela was dying to know what the dream was all about, but knew that questioning him was a bad idea. _Maybe asking indirectly..._

"Are you OK?" She asked, looking at him.

"Yes", he replied automatically, but he failed to convince her.

"Are you sure?" She insisted, just to question herself a second later.

_Why the hell do I bother? The guy is a cold bastard who wants to destroy humanity. Yet here I am, offering moral support. I need a doctor and a couch..._

Nuada finally looked at her. His eyes weren't cold this time, but full of pain. However, different from when Wink was in danger. This was a new expression on the elf's face, and she was lost in it.

He broke the eye contact and looked straight ahead. Snapping out of it, Adela wanted nothing more than to beat herself with a stick.

_You utterly stupid woman! Stockholm syndrome is a term invented for idiots like you._

"Why?" asked Nuada.

Adela was fantasizing about ripping her own hair, when she heard his voice.

"Why what?"

"Why do you care to know?" he asked.

"You looked like you were having a very bad dream. I'm an expert on nightmares, so maybe I can help", she said, before she could stop her big mouth.

He gave her a weird look and laughed bitterly "Is that so? You think I wish to destroy you all and you want to help? You're denser than I thought!"

"Indeed. I'm even dumber that I thought" she mumbled to herself.

He was looking at her with a raised eyebrow, his expression slightly amused.

"That's the first sign of intelligence you have given me, gama. At least you know your limits. Your very low limits..."

"Hn! OK, I understand that you don't want any help, and that fine, since I don't know what possessed me to offer it", she said, looking at him and getting ready to get up. "At least now I know you are not as vicious as you manage to appear," she added, looking him in the eyes.

"We have just settled that thinking is not your strongest point", he said, his expression losing any trace of amusement.

"Well then, I don't think, I know you are not" she said confidently. "Your nightmare is a sign of something bothering your conscience. Someone who is truly evil doesn't possess such a thing."

In less than a second, he grabbed her hand, pulled her closer and whispered, venom dripping from his voice

"You don't know anything about me, creature!"

Looking into her startled eyes, he continued:

"You _know_ I'm not evil? Let me change your mind", he said, with a cruel smile.

With that, he reached for her other hand, locked his fingers with hers and closed his eyes.

In the next second, Adela's world turned black.

She could see herself in a room, facing a very old man, seated on a throne. The old man started to say something in the same language Nuada spoke in his dream. She couldn't understand a single word, but from his tone, she could tell he was angry. Suddenly, Adela was enveloped by a feeling of dread. She could feel pain, confusion, bitterness, and also slight hope. Then, she spoke, but the words didn't belong to her.

"I did it for us. All of us, father!"

She recognized Nuada's voice and finally realized what was happening. She was seeing the whole thing from his point of view. He was showing it to her...But why? Was it a memory, was it the nightmare?

As the conversation with the old man advanced, the small feeling of hope left her, and the pain and rage grew. She was almost choking from the intensity of his emotions.

The moment when Nuala came into the vision, she was convinced that it wasn't simply a nightmare, it was reality. It was a memory so painful for the prince that it tormented his nights.

Nuala spoke in the foreign language, but whatever she said to her brother wasn't good. It felt like a dagger piercing her heart...his heart.

The vision started to speed up, like a tape on fast forward. She saw and felt everything: The death sentence, Nuada's determination to help his people no matter what, his pain to Nuala's betrayer, the battle with the guards and, finally, the death of his father, at his hands. After the sword pierced the king's chest, the vision ended, but not abruptly enough to spare her the nauseating feelings of guilt and pain coming from the prince.

Coming back to reality, she opened her eyes to see Nuada staring back.

"Do you still want to help me? Now you know that I killed my own father to complete my plan."

Adela was speechless. She was crying, but had no idea when she started.

_That's how you want to prove to me that you are evil, you idiot? By showing me so much pain and guilt? You managed the contrary!_

She wanted to tell him all that and more. She wanted to tell him that now she knew how he felt and understood him better; that she wanted to help him more than ever, that maybe there was a way to avoid a war...

But she couldn't. She didn't trust herself; she knew that she would break into sobs after the first two words.

When no answer came, Nuada released her hands and turned his face from her.

"At least...Maybe now you understand why I cannot back down", he said in a low voice. After another moment, he looked at her, all traces of emotion gone from his eyes.

"Get back to sleep, we leave for Ireland in the morning", he instructed.

In a trance, Adela got up and took a few steps back. Then, not trusting her legs for long, she went back to her bed, knowing that neither one of them would be able to resume sleep that night.

* * *

><p><strong>A.N. Well, this is it, the last "underground" chapter (sorry again for the delay). I also have to tell you that the next one might take a bit, since I'm having my final exams next week (hopefully I won't have to deal with college till my next lifetime).<strong>

**Thank you very much for the reviews.**

**On a similar note, I had to read "Saving Nuada" again, to see just how much of an accidental ripoff this is. I agree that the dialogue is similar, but I still stand by my opinion that any person with a functional brain would ask him the same questions. As I said, I love that story and don't feel the need to waste my time and yours with a poorer version. I have other plans for this one, and I can give a small spoiler: Humans won't have much to celebrate at the end :)**


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21 - I don't want you to win, I don't want you to lose

The lair was dark and quiet, but, even so, Adela knew the prince wasn't asleep. She just stared into space, thinking about what she saw in Nuada's vision.

_All that remorse, no wonder he has nightmares. Yet, his father looked like he was embracing his demise at the end. He looked...happy that Nuada didn't die. And proud. Yet, he ordered the death of both his children. That's twisted. Nuada had to kill or be killed. Even so, he will carry the burden of his father's death for the rest of his life. He can't stop now, because if he does, the death of his father would be in vain._  
><em>Why does it have to be so complicated?<em>

_...  
><em>

Morning came, and, for the first time, Adela was awake to watch as the small ray of natural light crept into the underground room.

_This is it, the final hours I'm spending in this place...Soon I will be free...What a joy! I'll either witness the fall of the human world or mourn his death..._

Turning towards the prince, she studied his face. He fell asleep close to dawn, and his features didn't bare the mark of suffering at the moment. He looked almost peaceful, and his beauty became painfully obvious to her.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she stared back at the high ceiling.

_It's not fair! None of this is fair! If he succeeds, millions will die; if he fails...I don't even want to think about that._

_Why did he have to "prove" to me how utterly "evil" he is? Why did I have to feel all those emotions? Despite the pain, the anguish and the remorse, he has a bright soul..._

The conversation she had with Abe in the library replayed for the tenth time in her mind: _"I feel like I know her. When our hands touched I got a glimpse of her. The real her, and I loved it"._ Just like the other times, she could not hold back a growl, remembering her reply: _"Well, that would not be love at first sight; it would be love-at-first-telepathic-connection, my friend. You can put it on the list of things I believe in."_

The sudden urge to laugh hysterically and bang her head to the walls rushed through her, but she pushed it aside, as she heard Nuada stir in his bed. As he didn't make any move to get up and continued his slumber, Adela returned to her thoughts.

_Love-at-first-telepathic-connection...I wouldn't do as far as that! I do feel something for him, though, and that is a big problem. Again, why isn't he just a normal villain? A classic one, with greed for power and blood lust, a villain who doesn't have a good reason behind his actions. It would make everything so much easier. Even the thought of him dying manages to make my stomach twist._

She couldn't think of any way that this whole nightmare could end well for all of them. Even if they managed to prevent his crazy genocidal plan, without killing him and Nuala, he would still spend the rest of his life in remorse and bitterness, imprisoned by humans. Something had to be done for his people, in order to give him a chance to live again, but would anyone care about them once he failed?  
>The answer was simple...He had to live. Not succeed and bring chaos, but live.<p>

_You're going to live, buddy, either you want it or not!_

* * *

><p>Nuada was awakening. After his dream, he thought he would not be able to resume his slumber, and, for many hours, he just stared at a wall, thinking about the past and the future. Eventually, exhaustion caught up with him and he fell into a deep sleep.<p>

He almost regretted showing her the vision, but, at that moment, anger guided his actions. She seemed so sure of herself in her statements, she thought she knew him. They all thought they knew him and that made them jump to false conclusions. Whatever he opinion of him was, it couldn't be good, but he told himself he doesn't care. Why would she understand him after all? Not even Nuala understood.

He got up, straightened his hair and looked towards her. He expected to find her asleep, but she was staring at him with a look of sadness. As he watched her, her expression turned into a determined glare.

* * *

><p>They continued to ignore each other, better said, the prince continued to ignore her. Adela, on the other hand, could not keep her eyes away from him. She did not attempt to speak, but she knew that it might just be the last chance she got to see him in a somewhat peaceful state. After a short while, Wink came in, bringing another pile of clothes and some food.<p>

She couldn't communicate with the troll, but she liked him. Ever since she saved him, he acted almost protective of her. He was the one that brought her food, moved her from the cold floor and guarded he while the prince was away. While she wasn't too fond of having a babysitter, she was grateful that he never showed any ill intentions towards her. In her present state, he could have easily taken advantage of his strength and harm her, yet he never did. There was just something in his eyes that made him look almost kind, despite his frightening appearance.

Just like the first time, Wink walked to her and dropped the bundle at her feet, then gave her a bowl of food. While the contents of the wooden bowl looked dubious, the smell was amazing and it reminded her of how hungry she was. Her stomach chose to show its appreciation with a loud growl, which resonated through the cave.

That seemed to attract Nuada's attention, and she blushed ten shades of red before glaring at her abdomen. Shaking the embarrassment away, she thanked Wink with a smile and took her food, while the troll turned his attention back to the prince.

They talked for a few minutes, then the prince addressed her for the first time.

"Change your clothes," he ordered, gesturing towards the blood-stained, dirty dress. "We will be leaving soon"

Adela was just finishing her meal and was slightly startled when he actually spoke to her. _Gosh, he can see me! What an honor. _Looking at her dress, she grimaced. It looked horrible and she felt a blush coming to her face again. With a mental slap, she decided to act as normal as possible. Suddenly blushing and squirming in front of him wasn't a good idea.

"I won't need these", she said, pointing at the clothes Wink brought. "Mine are already dry".

The prince saw the clothes she was referring to, but didn't seem to happy.

"You will wear the dress", he stated.

"But I feel better in those..."

She didn't have time to finish, as Nuada took her dried jeans and shirt and threw them in the fire.

"Never mind, dress it is", she mumbled lamely.

"The dress suits you much better", he said, exiting the cave to give her some privacy, and leaving Adela with a dumbfolded look on her face.

* * *

><p>The three of them walked through the troll market, towards one of the shops. When they entered, Adela could see it was a library. There were huge walls with scrolls, maps and books. A tall pale creature greeted them from the back of a huge desk.<p>

"Good morning, sire! I was expecting you!" said the creature, bowing to Nuada.

The prince nodded, and then asked.

"Is everything ready?"

"Yes, prince Nuada". The librarian then acknowledged Adela, and walked towards her.

"Is this the creature you were inquiring about, your majesty?" he asked, studying her.

She felt slightly uncomfortable under his scrutiny, and moved closer to Wink.

"Yes", the prince replied, eying him.

"She is not what I expected, sire. She looks quite fragile."

"She is weak in this form, as the document said she would be", explained the elf.

"Will she join you on your trip, my lord?"

Nuada nodded, starting to get tired of all the questions.

"Do you mind if I perform some tests on her, before you go? It's so rare to see a specimen alive...I actually never thought I would see one"

Hearing about tests, Adela paled. She remembered that in the last one, taken by Nuada, she almost died. She didn't want to knock on hell's doors again so soon. The prince was looking at her, seeming in thought. Then, he turned back to the librarian.

"I do mind, Seatsnan", Nuada interrupted the creature. "We do not have time for this. You will have to trust my word when I tell you that she is as weak as any other human at the moment. Now, take us to the passage," he ordered.

"Of course, your majesty", said the librarian, stepping away from Adela and bowing to the prince.

_Phew! _

Nuada motioned for her and Wink to follow, and they headed towards a secluded corner of the library.

When Adela caught up with the price, she whispered a "Thank you!"

He gave her a side glance, but didn't respond.

...

They were facing a huge column, that didn't actually support anything. At a first glance, it would have seemed a decorative object. The stone was beautifully carved, showing images and symbols she could not understand. It looked like writing, but it wasn't an alphabet she could recall seeing before.

She gave Nuada a confused look.

"You think I'm stupid anyway, so I lose nothing by asking...How are we going to get all the way to Europe?"

Nuada smirked for a second. "Magic is not only used to create glamour"

With that, he opened a hidden door in the column, and showed her the empty space inside. It was pitch black. The first thing that came to her mind was void, followed by black hole and then DANGER!  
>She took a big step back.<p>

"Wait just a minute! How does this work?"

Nuada gave her an annoyed stare and told her "You step in and you are transported to Ireland. Is that simple enough for you, creature?"

"Simple? Is that a teleporting device?" _Oh my God, this is amazing!_

"Teleporting?" he repeated with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah. How does it work? Are you dematerialized inside that thing and recomposed at the destination?" The image of a hideous creature composed of bits of her and Nuada popped into her brain. _I will not watch The Fly again! _

He seemed slightly amused by the look on her face. "You are thinking way too much about this, and, as I said to you before, thinking is not your strongest point. There are many of these columns around the world. Before you go through, you have to choose a path. Passing through it shouldn't be more difficult than passing through a door. Do you think you can do that, woman?"

"So it's a wormhole! Amazing! I thought these were only hypo..."

She didn't have time to finish the idea, as Nuada grabbed her arm and walked through the gateway. She expected to see stars, a path, a bit of the Milky Way, something, but, to her dismay, it was exactly like stepping in another room.

"...thetical... That was it?"

Nuada didn't bother to reply, only nodded.

"Wow", was the only thing she could mutter.

They walked down a dim lighted corridor, Adela's head still buzzing with questions. The prince, however, didn't seem in the mood to answer her. She had to almost run to keep up with him. Soon, they reached a huge chamber, and her mouth snapped open.

_This is it, this is the army! Look like more than 4900 to me, you can't even see the walls of his room, it seems endless._

She gave Nuada a sad look. He glared at her and pointed to a corner.

"You will over there until everything is over. You don't stand a chance in this battle".

She was slightly confused, but chose not to ask any more questions. Quietly, she walked towards the point he instructed, but her thoughts were not following his.

_I don't want you to win; I don't want you to lose either. I just want you to be alive at the end. If I have to disobey your order to ensure that, so be it!_

Nuada inspected his army for a while, then returned to the platform she was standing on.

"Are you sure they will come?" Adela asked, not really expecting an answer. He surprised her when he did reply.

"Yes. I can feel my sister. She is very close", he said.

"I guess there is no way to convince you to stop this now", she said in a low voice.

"You know there is not", he said, looking at her attentively.

She sighed "Well, may we all be alive at the end, then!"

* * *

><p><strong>A.N. Please tell me what you think, and sorry it took so long to update :)<strong>


	23. Chapter 22

**This is the final movie-related chapter, and it's quite similar to the scene in the film. From now on, the action is going to take a different course.**  
><strong>Just one minor thing...In this, Red is still injured. Nuala is with them because she wants to save both the demon and Adela. I know that, in the movie, she didn't seem willing to give the piece to the prince, no matter who's life was at stake, but bare with me. Anyway, the original scene in the movie didn't make much sense to me. Nuada had his sister as his "prisoner", but, no matter what, he could not harm her without harming himself. Abe's fear was not justified at all.<strong>

Chapter 22 - What have you done, Nuala?**  
><strong>

A few moments later, they could hear voices coming from the stairs. She could hear Liz's voice, and Abe's. For a second, fear overtook her. She remembered Red's fight with Nuada and the demon's injury.

_Oh god, is he dead? _She paled at the thought, but the sound of Red's voice allowed her to breathe again.

"Not so fast, damn it! I hate these stairs!" the demon mumbled.

Moment later, she could see her friends appear at the top of the stairs. Abe and Liz were carrying an injured Red, while the princess and Dr. Krauss walked ahead of them. The princess was looking straight at her brother.

"We're here, your royal assness!" grunted Red.

"I can see that, Demon. Now, my sister, do you have the crown piece?"

"I do, brother. First, however, you will have to remove the spear form the demon and let Adela go", Nuala said.

The prince seemed confused for some reason, and then he glanced at Adela. She realized in that moment that, in all the time they spent together, he never bothered to ask her what her name was. Gritting her teeth, she tried to get over the anger. _Why would he ask anyway...creature, woman and gama are all such wonderful pet names!_

"Princess, you can't do this!" said Dr. Krauss.

"No one included you in the conversation, Tin Man", snapped Nuada. "Sister, you and the demon can step forward. The rest of you stay where you are!"

Hellboy and Nuala slowly walked towards Nuada. The prince met them half way, and asked his sister to give him the piece. Nuala reluctantly gave it to him, but not before begging him to reconsider.

_Why did you give him the piece before he could heal Red...What if he lets him die?_

To Adela's surprise, the price kept his part of the bargain and took out the silver tip from the demon's chest. Without the piece of metal, the wound started to heal. Seeing that, Nuada grabbed his sister by the arm and dragged her away from the demon, not giving Red any time to get his full strength back.

"Brother, what are you doing? You also promised that you will release the girl", said Nuala, while he guided her towards the spot in which Adela was.

"I said you will get to see her again, not that I will release her. I kept my word, now both of you stay here!" Nuada ordered.

He left his sister with Adela and turned his attention back to the BPRD agents.

Adela had no idea what this was all about. She thought he would let her go once he had the crown, but here she was, with his sister, in a safe corner. A part of her couldn't help but feel a slight ray of hope.

_Is it possible that he cares about what happens to me? _However, the rational side soon dashed that thought. _No. It's not possible. He proved on numerous occasions that he hates me. There must be another motive. Just because I'm starting to have these damned feelings it doesn't mean he's thinking the same._

She and the princess could do nothing but watch as Nuada completed the crown and awoke the Golden Army.

"I am Prince Nuada. Silverlance. Ruler of the Golden Army. Is there anyone here to dispute my right?"

When nobody challenged him, the intricate mechanism that controlled the army roared to life, and the prince watched with a smirk as, one by one, the soldiers awoke. The Golden Army was under his rule. Taking a final look towards Adela and Nuala, he turned back and ordered the golden warriors to kill the agents.

Adela could not stop the cry that left her when she heard the command. She could not just stand there and watch as her friends were being slaughtered.

Turning to the princess, she whispered: "Nuala, is there any way to stop the army?"

Nuala managed to look away from the point where Abraham stood, a look of terror on her face. A random thought crossed Adela. _Abe, if you survive this, you'll drink to celebrate. She does care about you!_

"There is no way to stop it. Only my brother can stop the army now," she managed to say. After a couple of seconds that seemed like hours, she continued. "However…one of royal blood could challenge the right for the army."

Hearing that, Adela's eyes lit up. She looked back at the battle, to see that her friends were already surrounded by the metallic soldiers. Without a second thought, she dashed towards them.

_I have to get there! Red must be able to remove this cursed thing from my neck. He can also challenge the prince. If only I could reach him in one peace._

Running at full...human speed towards the wall of golden warriors, she kept repeating "I'm not afraid" in her mind, over and over again.

She couldn't fool herself, though. She was terrorized. If Red could not break the necklace, she would be dead in minutes. Reaching the warriors, she took advantage of her momentum and of the element of surprise, and managed to avoid any extreme injuries. As she was getting through, she got hit by a metallic arm and almost flew towards her friends. Trying to ignore the pain of the blow, she smirked. At least, the shock got her where she wanted. The soldier was meters away from her, trying to finish the job, but he was pushed back by Red.

Getting up as fast as she could, she saw the concerned look on the demon's face.

"Are you suicidal? You can't help us like you are now!"

"Just shut up and remove this damned thing from my neck!" she shouted back, dodging a blow from a soldier. Red managed to push another warrior back, and came close to her. He grabbed the necklace with his stone hand, and, with a visible effort, managed to break it into pieces. Adela screamed, as a sickening wave of pain shot through her. As soon as the pain came, it went away, and she felt complete again. She took a deep breath, as she felt her powers coming back. Not only did they come back, but soon, she was overwhelmed by them. The danger she was in made her instincts kick in and she could not care less if she fully transformed.

Adela let out an eerie chuckle as she lifted her face. Her eyes were a deep shade of red, her face was as white as paper and her dark hair was waving madly into the air, pushed up by the energy she was generating.

"Not this is more like it!" she said, in a velvety but dangerous voice. The same voice that made Nuada shudder.

"Thank you Red", she said, turning to the demon. Red threw her a gun, then gave a grin of his own.

"Glad you're back, kid".

She winked at him. "Now, where wore we?" she smirked, turning back to the Golden Army.

The soldiers attacked, but this time, it was different. She and Red managed to destroy some of them by shooting them in the head. Dr. Krauss managed to overtake one with his ectoplasma and he was busy impaling a warrior using his own metallic arm. However, the number of the machines was something that concerned her.

She heard Red mutter "Industrable my ass" and, through the satisfaction of her little killing spree, a thought nagged her.

_He's right. This is too easy. This cannot be the indestructible army. Give Red a full day and they're done. Something is wrong._

After they dismembered the last soldiers that were close to them, Adela and Red regrouped with the others and took a second to breathe and inspect their wounds. Red seemed all right, but Adela had a good number of cuts on her arms and torso. They were not deep enough to be dangerous, but they hurt like hell. She looked at the prince for the first time since she ran to her friends. He has staring at her with an angry … concerned look?

She could not wonder about that, since her fears came to life. She watched, with horror on her face, as the fallen soldiers began to reassemble themselves. Piece by scattered piece, the mechanical monsters came back to life.

_Damn my thoughts!_

The warriors were surrounding them again. One of them was close to hitting Liz, when Adela's mind clicked. _This might work. _Focusing, she let her energetic field expand as much as possible. The field engulfed the warriors that were close to them and stopped their mechanisms. The soldiers froze.

"Red, challenge his right for the Army" Adela's voice was almost a growl, as she was struggling with the immense force she had to battle.

"What?"

"For fuck's sake, just do it!" she screamed, as she lost control of the army and fell on the floor, panting.

Liz was next to her in a second, helping her up.

"Are you all right? What was that all about?" she asked, wiping the sweat off Adela's brow.

"That was me overestimating myself. I managed to freeze a couple of them for only five seconds and I feel like I've been ran over by a truck."

"You look like it also," Liz mumbled, as she looked at her wounds.

"These machines don't have any blood for me to take and heal, but if you're offering..." she smirked at her friend, showing her fangs.

Liz huffed and muttered something about her sick sense of humor and bad timing, then they both turned their attention to the army, when they heard Red's voice.

"Wait. I want to challenge prince Nuada for the right to command this army".

Swaying on her feet, Adela looked at the scene. The soldiers were turned towards Nuada, awaiting for his answer.

"You challenge me! Who are you to challenge me? You are not royalty!"

"He is! He's Anung Un Rama, son of the fallen one. He has the right. The challenge must be answered," came Nuala's voice. The princesses eyes were filled with hope.

"Very well then," replied Nuada after a short hesitation.

Abe stepped closer to Red, worry clearly written on his face, but the demon calmed him.

"Don't worry Abe, I won't kill him. But I will kick his ass", he stated, as he approached the prince.

That managed to calm Adela down also, and she let out a breath she had no idea she was holding.

The battle between Hellboy and Nuada started, and she could see that they stood on a similar level. Red had a plus with strength, but Nuada compensated by his superior technique.

At one point, Red managed to slice Nuada's arm. She winced, and had a weird feeling of dread when she saw that. Trying to distract her thoughts, she looked for the princess, to see if she was all right.

Nuala had moved from her previous position, and she was now closer to the point where the battle enfolded. She was checking her arm, but the injury didn't seem serious.

Red and Nuada continued their fight. At one point, it looked like the prince held the supremacy. Liz came closer to Adela.

"We have to do something! He's going to stab him again", she pleaded.

Adela looked at her, but there was nothing she could do.

"We can't interfere. This is their battle, if we step in, we don't know if the army is going to submit to the winner."

However, the tables soon turned, after the prince miscalculated one of Red's moves. The demon caught the prince by the neck, muttered something about a "jumpy slippery bastard", and sent him flying. A second later, Red had the tip of the spear at Nuada's neck. In that moment, all the bravery disappeared from the prince's face. He knew he was defeated.

"Kill me. You must. For I will not stop. I cannot," the elf pleaded.

"No!" Adela and Abe shouted simultaneously from the side, earning a confused glare from the Demon.

"Sorry pal! I win, you live", said Red, as he took the crown from the prince's head and turned towards his friends, leaving Nuada on the floor.

They didn't have time to cheer, because the prince got up, took a small knife, and started to walk after the demon, trying to stab him in the back.

A million thoughts flew through Adela's mind in that second. She saw his face and the broken expression it held, saw his trembling hand holding the knife, and she knew that he wasn't rational anymore. The pain of losing overwhelmed his reason.

Liz screamed at Red to watch out, but it was Abe's desperate cry that made her blood freeze:

"Princess, no!"

Adela turned towards the princess in what felt like slow motion. Nuala had a similar knife in her hand, the tip pointed at her chest.

Forgetting about her exhaustion, she ran as fast as she could towards the princess. Despite her speed, she was a second too late. She stopped Nuala's hand, but the knife had already cut its way into her body.

Adela managed to stop Nuala from pushing it further and took the knife out. "What have you done, Nuala?" The princess was already falling. She caught her and placed her on the floor. Abe arrived next to them in seconds.

"I need something to stop the bleeding," said Abe, barely containing his despair.

Ripping a part of her dress, she gave it to Abe.

"Take this and press it to the wound."

Leaving Nuala with Abe, she took the knife and turned around. What she saw broke her heart. The proud prince was almost on his knees, supported by Red. She could see the pain on his face, pain that wasn't only caused by the wound in his chest, but also by his sister's betrayal and by his shame. She knew that when he came back to his senses, he would be extremely ashamed by his behavior. He almost stabbed his opponent in the back. That was the most dishonorable thing a warrior could do.  
>She approached them in time to hear Nuada's words:<p>

"It's either them, or us. Which holocaust should be chosen?

Adela felt tears in her eyes and looked away, glancing at the knife she was holding, and a ray of hope shone on her face. The golden trace of blood on the tip of the knife showed that it didn't go deep enough to reach their vital organs. Maybe there was a chance.

Nuada continued, in a strangled voice. "We die, and the world will be poorer for it..."

Armed with the new hope, she pushed back her tears and came closer to the prince.

"Keep the little speech for some other time, elf, you will not die today! Red, please step aside!"

She took Red's place, and supported the elf. Nuada looked at her and, for a second, he almost smiled.

"Adela..." she whispered, brokenly.

_God, he said my name. He really thinks he is going to die!_

"...stupid woman", he continued, his face showing a brief grimace of pain, and he whimpered. "...I'm sorry", he whispered, so softly that she almost missed it.

She didn't ask him what exactly he was sorry for. He had so many regrets plaguing his soul that his words sounded more like a confession than an apology.

Adela smiled sadly and lowered him to the floor.

"I know" she said, as she ripped another part of her long dress and pressed it on his wound. Trying to chase away her tears, she continued in a forced joyful tone:

"I'm quite glad you "convinced" me to wear a dress, it's good for making bandages", she said to him. Sniffing, she added "I have bad news for you. The wound doesn't reach too deep, so you're going to live to insult me again".

Nuada didn't respond. He looked into her eyes for a few moments, like he was searching for something, then turned his face towards where his sister was and sighed."Nuala…"

Adela kept pressing on his wound. After a few moments of silence, the prince closed his eyes and his body relaxed.

Adela turned towards her friends. "He's finally unconscious. I think the pain exhausted him. The bleeding almost stopped, but we need to take them somewhere and give them medical attention, fast!"

"We will. There is one more thing…" said Liz, holding the crown. Her hands ignited, the yellow flames consuming the crown. The metal, however, did not melt. A minute passed, and Liz took back her flames, glaring at the crown.

"I cannot melt it! I don't understand!" she cried.

Red took the crown from her hands and tried to break it with his stone hand. After much struggle, he gave up.

"I can't break it either!" he growled.

"It's just like the Army, indestructible," muttered Liz, suddenly looking uncomfortable.

Adela frowned, eyeing the crown, but decided to play it the Scarlet O'Hara way and think about that in the morning. For now, they had an emergency.

"People, please, let's move! We need to get them out of here, and fast. We can take the crown with us and glare at it later!"

"We will do that," said Dr. Krauss. "But we cannot leave the army in this state. The soldiers are awake, we need to at least split the crown again."

They did that and let out a sigh of relief when the mechanisms stopped and the army returned to its slumber.

Adela turned to Abe, who was already holding Nuala and looked like he was about to lash at his friends. The angry impatient expression was awkward on his usually composed face.

"Red, if you want to stay here and admire the scenery, fine with me, but I'm taking the princess to the airplane now!" he muttered.

Red was about to follow, when Adela cleared her throat and called his name.

Red turned towards her "What? Are we taking the royal assness with us?" he grumbled.

"No, Red, we are going to leave him on the floor, wounded, and then stare in wonder when Nuala suddenly dies! What if someone or something attacks him in this state?" growled Adela, trying to find a plausible reason for taking care of him.

"Whoa there, hold the fire! I was just asking. As weird as it may sound, I don't want the asshole to die. There is something about him that I kinda like," he said, lifting the prince off the floor, careful with his wound.

Abe did the same with the princess and they all walked towards the exit.

* * *

><p>A.N. Please tell me what you think :)<p> 


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23 - Weird taste in men

They reached the plane, and settled the twins in the medical section. Fortunately, they had on board anything necessary to take care of the injured. It was normally used to help the BPRD agents, not the enemy, but that was a detail Adela was more than willing to ignore.

Manning had some complaints, but not even Dr. Krauss supported him this time. That made her wonder what she missed in the two days she spent underground.

Liz was at Nuala's side, while she was taking care of the prince. She had taken his soaked clothes off as soon as Red put him on the stretcher, leaving only his pants on, and struggled to stop the bleeding again. Despite Red's care, the transport to the plane didn't do him any good.

After she and Liz managed to slow the bleeding almost to a full stop, they disinfected the wounds and bandaged them tightly.

"They are quite lucky," said Liz, covering Nuala's upper body as well as she could. "Less than an inch higher and it would have pierced their hearts, even at this depth."

Adela nodded, looking at Nuada's pale face. His skin was covered in a thin layer of sweat. She cleaned it with a cold compress, then checked his temperature.

"They don't seem to have an infection. I'm only worried about the blood loss, it's not like we have any elven blood lying around for a transfusion..."

"Speaking of that..." she mumbled, getting up and rummaging through a cooling box. "Aaah! Zero positive! Universal donor" she smirked, taking out a blood bag. "Just what I need, these cuts sting like hell" she smiled, thrusting her fangs in the plastic bag and drinking avidly.

She watched as her wounds closed in a matter of seconds, missing Liz's expression of nausea.

"That's gross!" she said, gagging.

Adela looked at her with innocent eyes. "So is chewing on the poor chicken's bones after finishing the meat on them, and Red does that all the time. I thought you got used to it by now," she smirked. The smile died on her lips as she saw the pale hue of her friend's face.

"You aren't kidding, are you," she asked, putting away the bag.

"No, I'm not. In the future...could you wait until I'm out of the room? At least while I'm pregnant," she said in a low urgent voice.

Adela gulped, suddenly feeling very bad. "I'm sorry, Liz, I'm an idiot. I know you saw me feeding with worse manners than this and I thought that it doesn't bother you. I won't do it again!"

"I'm fine...I was thinking that now I have to tell Red about the pregnancy. I will tell him tonight. I'm still gathering the courage," she said with a faraway look. Then, her eyes focused on Nuada and her expression hardened.

Adela followed her line of vision as she sat down again, next to the prince. "I know you must hate him," she whispered.

Liz looked at her and nodded.

"I do. He almost killed Red. He had him suffer for two days with that spear in his chest and then attempted to stab him in the back...I can't have any other feeling for him. I don't understand why Red doesn't hate him."

"I think he earned his respect. He fights for his cause and he's a worthy opponent...It must be a guy thing," she smiled sadly. "About him trying to stab Red in the back...His reason was blinded by his feelings in that moment. I think he hates himself more than you hate him for that."

_Great, yet another thing to add to the huge list of reasons to suffer! Way to go, elf!_

"I need to get away for a moment. I don't think Abe would have anything against the idea of taking my place, he's been pacing like a maniac," smiled Liz before exiting the medical room.

* * *

><p>His bandages were once again soaked in golden blood. It seemed like ages before it stopped completely and she was extremely worried about that. Since a transfusion was not possible, they could only wait and let their bodies heal on their own. It might take a while, but at least they were out of the woods.<p>

She unwrapped his bandages and grabbed some new, clean ones. Adela winced when she looked at the wound. Touching the bruised skin that surrounded the cut, she looked at his face. He and Nuala still gave no sign of regaining consciousness. She could see no reaction to the touch, so she decided to just wrap him in the other bandages.

As she was busy doing that, taking great care not to hurt the prince, Red came in. He watched Abe, who was seated next to Nuala, and then he turned to Adela. She finished with the bandages and looked up at him, only to see him staring at her with wide eyes and with his mouth slightly open.

Recovering, he grinned: "Kid, you have a weird taste in men!"

She could feel the blood rushing to her face at that remark. Signaling to him to shut up, she left Nuada's side, rushed to the demon and dragged him further away from Abe. Making sure she was not in the hearing range of the others, who were busy talking about the crown on the other end of the plane, she turned her attention to Red.

"What the hell makes you say that?"

"Geez, kid, breathe. If I wasn't sure before, I am now, judging by your reaction", he laughed. "You like him!"

"Shhhh! Could you keep that booming voice down, if I wanted everyone to know I would have issued a press release! I don't like him!" she said, crossing her arms and avoiding eye contact. Red ignored her and continued with his deduction.

"I realized it now, looking at you and Abe tending for them. You two had the same look on your faces, it was like a mirror image", he laughed again. "That explains why you lashed at me back in the army chamber."

Adela was mentally cursing. _Sherlock Holmes! He can't usually see subtle signs if they hit him in the face, but trust him to pick up on that!_

"You have a crush on him, admit it!"

"Argh! I don't have a crush on him, Red, I'm not 15", she said, looking at the demon, who, in return, gave her an unconvinced glare.

"I do feel something for him, though", she continued, in an annoyed voice.

"I knew it," grinned Red. "And your tastes are weird, think about it: The guy practically kidnapped you and he almost killed us. He planned to kill all humans, he hurt many people..."

"Yeah, yeah, I get the picture. But what happened to "There's something about him that I like"?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Red laughed and shrugged "The asshole is a great warrior, what can I say? However, I'm not the one gazing at him with a love stricken face, you are. Just what happened in the last two days?"

She was silent, looking at the floor with a sad look on her face.

"I saw him, Red", she murmured, looking at the floor.

Red blinked. "What the...did you drink the medicinal alcohol in there, kid? Of course you saw him! We all saw him".

Adela gave him a sharp glare. "I mean I saw HIM. The real him, I had a chance to feel his emotions, know his feelings".

Red looked confused so she went further.

"Remember how Abe was willing to vouch for Nuala in a second because he felt her? It's the same. He's not evil, Red. His soul is darkened by hate and despair, but he's not beyond redemption."

After a small pause, she added, with dry humor. "That would be love at first telepathic connection, my friend, you can put that on the list of things I believe in," she said, mocking herself. She then started to bang her head to the nearest wall, muttering "stupid" with every breath.

"You have no idea how much I wanted to do that in the last 12 hours!" she said, finally stopping.

Red seemed saddened.

"I'm not one to judge, but you know what awaits him when we reach the center. This is not as simple as it is for Abe and his elf", he calmly explained.

"I know that. Red, we have to do something, they can't lock him away for the rest of his life", she pleaded.

"Kid, what do you think the punishment is for what he did? They would kill him if they could. Those are the rules."

"Well, the army didn't kill anyone after all, and the fact that the humans were the ones to break the truce in the first place has to count." she said more forcefully.

"The government won't give a shit about that truce! I know the army didn't kill anyone, but the fairies did. He will be charged with the murder of those people, not to mention the genocide attempt."

"But Red, I killed even more humans in my first decades of being like this. Should you lock me up also, for the rest of my existence?"

He had no answer to that question, so she continued.

"I know he can learn to live again! If I found my way back to a somewhat normal existence, so can he, just give him a chance", she said, looking in his eyes.

"Nobody will care about that, Adela. They will follow the rules, and not even we will be able to break them"

He was calling her by her given name, and she understood just how serious he was. However, she had some time to think about what would happen in the near future and she decided she would at least do everything in her power to make Nuada's life easier. The rest would have to wait and she would need help...Lots of it. She might as well start to ask for her friend's cooperation.

"Who said anything about breaking the rules?" Adela smirked, looking him in the eyes. "My dear friend, you know better than I that rules can be...bent. I need to know if you're by my side in this little "bending plan"".

Red smirked also "Bending you say... I like the sound of that, kid," he said, as he scratched his beard. "Will your future plans piss the hell out of Manning?" he asked.

Adela laughed. "You can bet your last cigar on it!"

"Then count me in", he grinned, as he turned and started his way towards the others.

"Go back to your elf, kid!" he said over his shoulder. "Enjoy staring at him while you can" he snickered.

Adela almost threw her shoe at him, but refrained, and only muttered something about cocky demons.

* * *

><p>Nuada woke up several times during the flight, but he wasn't completely aware of his surroundings. She talked to him, telling him they were near and that he was going to be all right. Abe gave her some weird looks, and she could tell that he was curious. After a couple of hours, he finally asked:<p>

"Am I missing something? What exactly happened to you two in the last days?"

_Question of the day...Here we go again!_

Adela looked at him, but she was too tired to dodge his curiosity. That and she really trusted Abe. If there was someone that understood her feelings, that person was him. Besides, if she wanted their help, she had to tell them the truth.

"How did you feel when you touched Nuala?" she asked in a low, tired voice.

Abe smiled, looking at the princess. "I felt like someone finally understood me. I didn't feel so alone anymore". He looked at her "And also, I saw beauty".

Adela smiled a sad smile. "I went through something similar".

"What? But you don't have the power me and Nuala share", said Abe, confused.

"No, I don't. He must have showed it to me. He touched my hands and I almost passed out, but I could see things through his eyes." She looked at Abe and continued. "I can't help my feelings".

"So you're in love with him?" Abe seemed startled.

"I wouldn't go that far. When you live through centuries the idea of love changes".

"Why is that?"

"Abe, everybody I ever loved died a long time ago and everyone I might care about now will eventually grow old and die", she said sadly. After hundreds of years of that you learn to shield your feelings so well it's hard to evoke them anymore", she said.

"I understand, but he is immortal too".

"He is not immortal. He looks like he's in his late thirties and his father looked very old in the vision. They age, at a very slow pace. He and Nuala are 6000 years old. From what I've read, I know that they grow at the same pace with human beings until they reach their maturity and then the process slows. That would mean one year for every..."

"240 years", continued Abe, looking at Nuala.

"I love that built-in computer you have for a brain, my friend. Yes, they have the same rhythm of aging as I do."

"You age?" he asked with wide eyes. "I always thought you are immortal."

"Vampires are immortal, not my kind. How old do I look?"

Abe studied her for a moment and then replied "Around 25, I would say."

"Exactly! I was 23 almost five centuries ago. The changes are very subtle, but they exist. That information is confirmed, I read about it in a document back in the 1800s. So I'm not immortal, thank God!"

"Yes, immortality is an awful concept," agreed Abe. "But immortal or not, at least you know he will not die ages before you."

Adela almost laughed. "There is another thing, Abe. Do you actually think a feeling can be strong enough to last for so long? Humans say forever because their forever is so short". She became sad again "As you can see, I don't believe in love that much. All I know is that I want to help him".

Abe was saddened by her words.

"Do you think Nuala has the same views as you about love?"

Adela looked at him and sighed "I really need to mind what I do and what I say today. I'm acting like a complete moron. Abe, she is much older than I am. I don't know what to tell you. She might, or she might not. Even if she doesn't understand love like you do, that doesn't mean that she doesn't care. As a matter of fact, I know she does. Back in the army chamber she was very scared for you."

That seemed to soften his expression.

"Have you ever been in love?"

"I was, once...A long time ago."

"What happened? What changed?"

"I did", she said with a smile that told him she didn't want to continue the conversation.

The voice of the pilot came though the speakers and instructed them to prepare for landing. Letting out a sigh of relief, she secured Nuada and prepared herself for what was to come.

* * *

><p><strong>A.N. Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback, it made me post this as soon as possible :D<strong>

**Anyway, now the difficult part begins. Smexy elf or not, Nuada is still charged for murder and attempted genocide, so there is no easy way out of this (I don't buy the 'forgive and forget' scenario). I really hope I will be able to pull this through.**

**Tell me what you think!**


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24 - Cooperate?

After another half an hour in a car, they reached the BPRD center. The team settled Nuala and Nuada in the medical area, and then they finally went to get some rest.

After taking a long shower and thanking all the gods for finally getting rid of that dress, Adela tried to sleep, but failed miserably. Groaning, she crawled out of her bed, got dressed, took her blanket and headed towards the hospital wing. Nuada was placed in the same room as his sister, and a special medical crew was assigned to look after them.

Adela stopped at a coffee machine on the way and bought two cups of the strongest coffee she could find. Entering the hospital room, she spotted Abe. Smiling, she greeted him.

"Morning!"

"Huh?"

"It's 2 am, so technically it's morning" she said. "I had a feeling I will find you here, so I brought you some coffee" she continued, handing him a cup.

Abe looked extremely tired, but managed to smile. "Thank you! I couldn't sleep knowing she is here in this state".

"Join the club!" she said, after checking Nuada's temperature. "Where is the medical crew?" she asked, as she sat down on a chair, putting the blanket over her legs and drinking a bit of her coffee.

"They took a break; they already checked their wounds and said they are healing extremely fast. It's a matter of time before they wake up." After a couple of moments of silence, he added: "They will come for him as soon as that happens."

Adela lowered her eyes to her cup and sighed, then took a closer look at the twins. Nuala was dressed in a hospital gown, while Nuada still had his clothes on, the only thing missing being his shirt. She frowned when she saw that Nuada had his arms and legs tied to the bed, and the straps looked painfully tight.

She got up and touched his arm. "What is the meaning of this?"

Just then, a middle aged nurse came in, looking tired and a bit frustrated. Adela gave her an annoyed glare and asked again "What is this?"

"The boss ordered us to secure him to the bed, in case he wakes up and tries something", she muttered, not really paying her any attention.

Adela was getting angry. She was upset for many reasons, one being that Nuada was now a prisoner. She needed someone or something to vent the frustration, and the poor nurse was at the wrong place at the wrong time. "Did he order you to tie him so tight that he lost all feeling in his limbs?"

The nurse glared at her. "Look, girl, how I do my job is none of your business. You shouldn't even be here, so I will have to ask you to leave."

"Is that so?" Adela asked with a cruel look on her face. The nurse looked at her for the first time and what she saw made her take a step back. Adela walked closer to her. "Make me!" she sneered, her eyes flashing red for a moment.

She nurse shivered and started to babble. "I...I don't know who you think you are, but those are the orders. I…I can't do...anything".

"What's your name?" she asked with a grin.

"S…Sally, ma'am", said the nurse, still shivering.

_So I'm now ma'am, not girl. Nice improvement!_

"Well, Sally, tell you what you can do. You can loosen up the ties, if you don't want me to show you how it feels like to have the blood cut off from your arms. He will still be tied to the bed, so don't worry your little brain about that. And about me leaving...you'll have to change your mind, am I clear?" she asked with a fanged smile.

The nurse just nodded, and did as she was told. After she loosened Nuada's ties, she got out of the room at full speed.

"Still bipolar, I see," said Abe calmly, studying his coffee. "Lucky for you, the nurse has no idea you are more bark than bite," he smiled.

Adela sighed, collapsing in her chair.

"Sorry about that, but old habits die hard. I'm glad you didn't meet me when I was younger".

Abe looked her in the eyes.

"I didn't trust you in the beginning, you know. Nobody except Red wanted to give you a chance."

"I know that. It would have been quite dumb of you to trust a creature like me", she smiled. "That gift of yours comes in handy when you want to convince people of your decent intentions" she chuckled.

"It might have worked even better if you allowed anyone to touch you in the beginning"

"Hey buddy, I didn't trust you much either", she said playfully. "That, and I was scared of what you might see in me", she sighed.

Abe looked at her again. "I saw a lot of blood-lust and cruelty. But I also saw you were trying to change that, to control yourself. However, some corners of your mind are still clouded. You still have urges to kill, don't you?"

Adela was surprised. "I do. I'm still afraid of myself sometimes, but I can control it better. In the beginning, I had no idea how to do that, I just woke up in a puddle of blood, surrounded by corpses. I got sick at the idea that it was my doing."

"How did you learn to control yourself anyway? You never wanted to talk about that..."

"Meditation...And divine help," she smiled. "I still think that man was an angel. He was an old monk, who chose to live his live in the wilderness, praying. I met him...well, he found me in his barn, passed out after I had killed all his animals. There was so much understanding in his eyes. I woke up to see him next to me. I expected him to run away or try to kill me, but he just started talking to me. He was the first human being to treat me normally in years, so I broke down and told him everything. He told me the best way to deal with evil was to acknowledge its presence and separate it from good. He also told me about Satan and God actually being the polar-opposites of the same force. At first I didn't get a thing from all that biblical mambo-jumbo, I just nodded, happy with the fact that someone was talking to me, and I left him, fearing that I might lose control again and kill him. However, in the following months, as I remembered our discussion, I realized what he was trying to say. Smart man..." she chuckled.

"So he gave you the idea of the split personality" said Abe.

"Yeah...God must have sent him, knowing I was too stupid to think about it myself. Meditation helped me reach that part of me and try to "make peace". It took me almost a century to succeed, and we're still not best friends, but we're like two roommates who learned to live with each other."

"I understand..."

Adela laughed. "This whole thing is like teaching a lion to eat tofu. But I won't lie, I love unleashing the "beast". That is why I joined you. Killing bad guys is still killing, it somehow satisfies my instincts".

"How come you never tried to kill him when you were in your other form?" Abe asked.

Adela blushed.

"To tell you the truth, Abe, killing isn't the only instinct the other side of me follows. My roomie was attracted to him, at first, and that's something I really don't want to talk about right now" she grinned.

Abe laughed and left it like that.

…

Morning came, finding her and Abe both asleep in very uncomfortable positions on their chairs. Adela woke up with an awful pain in her neck and shoulders. Groaning, she stretched and reached for her coffee. It was cold and awful, but anything worked. Looking towards the twins, she noticed a slight movement in Nuala's fingers.

Waking Abe up, she showed him what she saw and they both came closer to the beds. As Adela leaned closer to Nuada, she saw his eyelids flutter slightly, before he opened his eyes. They were a very fair shade of gold in the morning light. She never saw him in the sunlight before and he couldn't look away from him. He was ethereal. His eyes had metallic reflections, his skin and hair captured the light, making them glow.

_He looks like an angel. It's a crime that such a being was forced to live in the sewers for so long. He clearly belongs in the sunlight. _

He seemed confused at first, but then his eyes finally focused on her. He tried to move his arms, but the ties kept him immobile. Frowning, he tried to speak, but only a rugged sound came out.

"Shhh, your throat must be sore. I'll give you some water as soon as I find a way to lift your bed a little", she said, as she fumbled with the buttons on the side. Looking towards Abe, she saw that Nuala was also staring to wake up.

She managed to lift the bed and brought some water. Nuada was watching her every movement. He tried to move his arms again, pulling harder, but with the same result.

"I'm sorry about those, but the boss thinks they are necessary. Here, drink some water" she said, bringing the glass to his lips.

Nuada turned his head and refused the offer, managing to exasperate her. "Just drink the water, your majesty, we didn't bring you all the way here to poison you!" she glared.

Nuada finally gave in and drank. Regaining his ability to speak, he asked:

"Where am I, creature?"

She smiled at him "You're in a hospital, elf, and you're obviously better since I'm 'creature' again."

He moved his head towards Nuala's bed and spotted Abe. Seeing him made Nuada sneer. Abe ignored the prince and tended to Nuala. She seemed more exhausted than her brother, so Abe didn't lift her to a sitting position.

"How come are we alive, woman? What did you do to us?" he said, turning her eyes back to her, anger visible this time.

She was slightly taken aback by this "We didn't do anything to you, we just stopped the bleeding and bandaged you. The wound wasn't critical, so you have to blame your own body for healing. Nice thank you, by the way."

"Adela, I have to go tell the others that they are awake, can see for Nuala for a moment?" asked Abe, still trying to ignore the prince.

"Of course…And, Abe, don't rush if you don't have to!" she pleaded, looking him in the eyes.

Abe nodded before leaving the room, and silence fell upon the ones remaining in it.

* * *

><p>The prince opened his eyes, but the strong light coming from the window blinded him for a moment. <em>Light…Sunlight! Where am I?<em>

Every single muscle in his body hurt, but the pain was stronger in his chest region. After his eyes adjusted to the light, he could see a woman leaning over him. It was her…the woman he took to his lair, the one who last talked to him before he…before what? Was he dead? If so, why was his body still hurting, and what was she doing here? And where exactly was here?

He tried to voice all those questions, but his throat was extremely dry.

"Shhh, your throat must be sore. I'll give you some water as soon as I find a way to lift your bed a little".

He tried to move into a sitting position, but something was restraining his movements. He was tied up! Frustrated, he tried to pull harder, but with no result. Anger was slowly building up in his heart. The woman brought him a glass of water, but he refused. He would not be treated like this!

The creature seemed frustrated with his refusal and said something about poison. That was the last thing on his mind. As degrading as it was to be helped to drink, he needed the water to ease the soreness in his throat, so he complied with her wish and drank.

"Where am I, creature?" he finally managed to ask.

The woman…_I remember her name…Adela …_She seemed relieved and told him that he was in a hospital. However, that didn't explain everything. He was convinced that the wound Nuala inflicted upon both of them would kill them. It didn't make any sense. The pain in his chest intensified, as it confirming his supposition. What kind of magic was this?

"How come are we alive, woman? What did you do to us?"

She seemed surprised and he could not feel any deceit in her answer. So the wound wasn't critical. That only meant they took them away from the army chamber and tended to them. He had to be back at the center, and that only meant he was now a prisoner.

"Why did you do it?"

"Why did I do what?" she responded, getting closer to his bed.

"Why did you save us?" _Why did you bring me here to be at their mercy?_

Adela could not hold back a sigh. "I was not lying when I said that I don't want you to die. "May we all be alive at the end" included you and Nuala, I don't know why you are so surprised."

Looking down at the straps securing him, he concluded: "So you did it for revenge!"

She looked at him, startled. "What?"

"You wanted to see me in this position. A prisoner to the humans, at their mercy", he sneered.

He could see that the woman was getting angry. "Do you think I'm here to take pleasure from your situation? Is that the impression I gave to you? You are here because you are lucky. Fate has given you a second chance, you should take advantage of it!"

"Take advantage of it? How? By becoming the pet of the humans, like you all have become?" _What on earth is she thinking? What kind of second chance is this?_

Adela leaned towards him and touched his shoulder, pushing him back into the mattress. In a hushed tone, she whispered:

"Relax, please! Nobody is expecting you to become their pet or change your beliefs over night. However, you should be glad to be alive, since the humans would not care about the fate of your people. You are still their hope."

_Their 'hope' is currently tied to a bed, needing special help to drink some water! Their hope died back in the army chamber, when I lost control over the warriors, it died in the same moment I should have died._

"Woman, my plan failed! There is not much I can do for my people in my position. I would have preferred death to this fate!" he said in a harsh voice, laced with sadness.

"Don't say that!" she replied in a sharp tone, applying more pressure on his shoulder. He was taken aback by her voice, but even more by her words. "That sort of death was not for you! It was dishonorable in every way, you are better than that!"

_What she says is true, _he thought sadly.

Adela sighed. "In a couple of moments they will come and take you away from here. They will lock you up in a forgotten room, since your bond with your sister won't allow them to kill you. You will not be able to do anything for yourself or for your people it you don't cooperate."

_Cooperate? _Nuada was getting angrier by the minute, but she pressed on.

"However, there might be a chance. The only hope we have lies in the fact that the humans broke the ancient truce first. Me, Red and Abe, perhaps even Dr. Krauss and Liz will take your people's side in this matter. Something will be done for them! I need you to be patient, try not to kill anybody and trust us!"

_What is she saying? They are willing to defend the rights of my people? _His eyes widened in disbelief.

"You hope to reach a new truce with the humans?" asked Nuada with a bitter smile. "Then the fate of my people is sealed. They will be killed before they get what is rightfully theirs."

"I know you do not trust the humans, but it's the only way out of this situation. We will not let them harm your people!" she said in a hopeful voice. "Once that is settled, we might be able to convince them to let you go or at least reconsider your situation."

Nuada watched her with disbelief written on his face, but didn't contradict her. _She really believes in this. Her heart seems to be in the right place, but…_

"What will happen to my sister?" he asked, more calmly, turning towards Nuala's bed. _My sister…How could I blame you for your rash decision when my own reason was blinded at that moment? I underestimated you, Nuala…You are a fighter._

Adela gave him a reassuring look "She will be safe. She is free to join us. You'll be close to her. Now please pay attention. I will make it possible to visit you and keep you updated on the issue. We will try to start the negotiations as soon as possible."

Nuada looked into her eyes for a couple of moments. _Yes, she believes in what she says. She hopes to make it better. Gullible child! _ He kept studying her expression for a while longer and then turned his face away.

"Sometimes, you make me forget how young you are, compared to me. You are still so hopeful and naive." With a sigh, he continued, looking into her eyes again. "I will not say anything against you plan, since any opposition would be in vain and you will try anyway. However, I know the humans better than any of you do, and I would not put too much hope into it. It would only break you when you fail."

They kept looking at each other for a few moments, in silence, until the door opened, revealing Manning and the rest of the team.

* * *

><p><strong>A.N. Thank you for the wonderful feedback, I'm glad you like this. Anyway, my inspiration is back, and the story is starting to flow. I will take advantage of this and write as much as I can before my muse gets bored with me and wonders off again.<strong>

**Tell me what you think ;)**


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter 25 – Discipline

…They kept looking at each other for a few moments, in silence, until the door opened, revealing Manning and the rest of the team.

"You're up! Good!" Manning said in a sharp voice, eyeing Nuada. "How is the princess?" he asked Adela, in a warmer tone.

"She's fine, she is still tired so she is resting, but her vitals seem OK", she answered.

"Good. she will stay here with Abe. Prince Nuada, since nobody knows what to do with you without harming your sister, you will be locked away, to make sure you never endanger human kind ever again. Agent Hellboy, please take care that the prince is taken to his cell. I do not want any more problems with this", he said, as he left the room.

Red approached the prince and gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry for this, you royal pain, but it won't be very dignifying", he said, as he got ready to untie him from the bed and cuff him up.

Adela stopped his hand, looking him in the eyes.

"I don't think that will be necessary, Red, he can walk".

"Are you crazy?" asked Red in a hushed tone.

Lowering her voice, she pleaded. "I'm not. Red, he's still weak after his injury, and we will be escorting him. He is also unarmed. Nothing will go wrong, right?" she asked, turning to Nuada.

Nuada nodded, trying to hide his anger but failing miserably. That made Red sigh. With a muffled curse, he agreed.

They untied the prince and he got up, still slightly insecure on his legs. Regaining his sense of balance, he waited for Red to lead the way. Adela walked next to him as they turned various corners, approaching the elevator.

They got in, and Red pressed the last button on the panel. They were descending deep in the underground, and Adela sighed at the irony. _He battled to see the sun and ended up deeper into the underground. _Looking at the prince, she could see no emotion on his face. He locked away everything, but at a closer look, she could discern sadness.

They reached the bottom floor and Red led them to a big metallic door. It looked just like the door of a bank vault. Inside, there was a common prison room. The space was designed in such a way that it allowed any person who entered a buffer zone between the door and the actual cell. Inside the cell, a stone wall separated the toilet and the shower from the rest of the room, which was furnished only with a mattress.

The prince still guarded his expression. Red unlocked the cell and invited Nuada to get in.

"Sorry for the lack of furniture, but we don't want to test your creativity and allow you to transform them into weapons" said Red.

Nuada walked in slowly, not looking at them. His head was a bit bowed, and Adela's heart ached at the sight.

_I'll make sure you don't stay in here for long, prince. You're the last person in the world that should inspire pity, so I won't give you that._

"Demon," said Nuada, turning and facing Hellboy. "You are a worthy opponent and I would have gladly killed you in a fair fight over the army. However, my rage made me forget my moral code for a moment... There are no words to express my regret for what I attempted to do and I will not ask for forgiveness. May time allow me to regain my honor!" he finished, placing his right hand over his heart and bowing to his adversary.

Red was staring at him with a shocked expression. Jaw on the floor, eyes almost popping out of his skull, it would have made Adela roll on the floor in laughter and take a picture any other day. However, at that moment, she could not find anything amusing in the situation. She could understand her friend. It was hard to imagine hearing that from the opponent. After a few moments of silence, Red mumbled

"See that it will!"

Red turned towards the exit, but, before he reached the door, he stopped and addressed the prince again

"Oh, and, your highness..."

The prince raised his head and looked at the demon.

"The kid is practically trying the impossible to help you and make the situation better. She even convinced me to help you. You can start regaining your honor by listening to her", Red said, as he exited the room, taking Adela with him. She took one last look at the surprised expression the prince was giving her, before the metallic door closed between them.

Outside the cell, Red turned to Adela and gave her a key.

"The bastard just can't act like a normal villain, can he?" he asked, frustrated.

"Apparently not. Welcome to my world! Now you see why I can't just let him rot in here!" she mumbled.

"Yeah, that and you have the hots for him. Anyway, let's say I somehow understand you and that you're not completely whacked. I only hope you know what you're doing. That's the key to the cell. The other set will be with Manning, so be careful. Only you and I know about the duplicate, don't misplace it. The combination to the door vault is 9619884001. What do you plan on doing now?"

Adela gave him a grateful smile, looking at the key. "I'm glad you thought of this, buddy, I forgot to tell you about the duplicate. Next step, we'll _persuade_ Manning that I should be the one taking care of him".

"How are we going to do that?"

Adela frowned "We have five minutes to figure it out, so start thinking!"

* * *

><p>Manning sat in the library, talking to Abe about the state of the princess when Red and Adela came in.<p>

"Agents, I want to congratulate you on your success in dealing with the Golden Army", Manning said, as he turned to them. "Adela, I was informed on your evolution during the mission and I must say that I'm impressed with your capacity of immobilizing the Army and preventing any harm to the team".

_Did something hit him in the head? Why is he being so polite? And since when is that pitiful try considered a success?_

Adela smiled anyway and even managed to blush a little. It was a good start.

"Thank you, sir!"

"What will you do now that the danger is gone?" he asked, in a casual tone.

_Bingo! _"As a matter of fact, sir, I would like to rejoin the team, if that is OK", she smiled.

Manning arched an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah! I really like being around my friends, they are like my family", she said, patting Red's arm and giving him a short glare that sent a clear message: "_Roll those eyes and we're screwed!"_

"Very well then, you may stay" he responded, still surprised. "But may I remind you, Agent Adela, that rules are the same for everyone in this bureau and that I'll keep my eyes on you".

"Yes sir", she nodded. _Oh, my stomach is making twists from all this ass-kissing._

"Now, as for the problem of the royal twins. The princess is free to join us, not as part of the team, but as a guest. She will be under Abraham's care. The problem is with the prince. We need someone to guard him. Agent Hellboy?"

Red glanced at Adela, who nodded as subtly as she could. "Of course I will take care of him, leave the bastard to me! After he tried to stab me, I'm more than willing to make him my personal punching bag," he finished with a grin.

"Red!" glared Abe. "You know you can't do that without harming the princess!".

"Oh, right! Sorry boss, but I just can't have the bastard around for too long without kicking his ass. I only have so much patience."

Manning frowned, but nodded. "I understand, agent Hellboy. I know your patience levels are close to zero and we won't risk it."

Manning resumed his pacing, taking his sweet time to think. The waiting was stretching Adela's nerves and she had to admit that patience wasn't her greatest quality either.

"Um...sir, if your are done with me, may I be excused? I need some time to rest".

That worked like a charm and Manning sharply turned his attention to her.

"You will do it!"

Adela looked shocked and started to gesticulate with passion.

"Oh no I won't! The guy kidnapped me, remember? I had my fair share of time in his presence, I think that was more than enough. Have Abe do it!" she said, sounding exasperated.

Red stared at her and shook his head, managing to hide his amusement.

"Abe is already assigned to take care of the princess and, unlike you, he is smart enough for me to count on his help and advice. Agent Adela, since you want to rejoin the team, you will have to obey orders".

"But sir..."

"But nothing! This is the first order I'm giving you. You take care of prince Nuada! You will get his food every day, check on his wound and inform me if any problems appear. Also, whatever issues may occur, you will be held directly responsible, is that clear?"

"Yes sir," muttered Adela, trying to hide her smirk with an exaggerated bow of her head.

"Here's the combination to the vault. You won't need the key to the cell, you can pass whatever you need to give him through the bars. When you want to change his bandages, I will give the key to Hellboy and he will escort you", he said. "Now you are dismissed!"

Adela muttered another "Yes sir!" and left the room as fast as possible, not sure she could contain her laughter any longer.

After she left, Manning turned to his two agents with a look of absolute glory on his face. "Discipline! That's what we do things around here!"

Red masked his burst of laughter with a series of coughs and Abe dutifully patted his back. "Absolutely, sir! Discipline is the key!"

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry that this chapter is so short, it was mostly an excuse to post this side note :) The regular chapter will be up in a couple of days.<strong>

**Okay, now, to set some things straight _here _(otherwise I might be accused of reviewing myself to boost my review count)**

**1) Since it's a really small world, you might know already of what I said in the review i posted for "Too high a price". It seems like everybody is set on ignoring the first part of my review and lash at me for the second. I will not say I am sorry, because I did not insult the author, all I did was say my opinion about her _attitude_. Insulting is what some of you people are saying now to me.**

**2) I do not review myself, I sometimes reply to people on that page because the things they ask or some of their complaints might interest the other readers also, and no, I do not intend to PM each and every single one of them for clarifications.**

**3) I'm not a guy.**

**4) This is not a competition for reviews; I don't know why some of you act like it is.**

**5) I will update the story anyway, so don't bother to review it, just like I won't bother to review anything else. I had no idea that speaking my mind without being rude is considered a crime.**


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter 26 - You love her!

It was evening and she was getting ready to bring Nuada his dinner. She prepared a tray with everything, from meat to fruits, since she had no idea what he liked, and started her way to his cell. Entering, she could see Nuada in the middle on the room, on the floor. He looked like he was meditating. At the sound of the door, he turned his head and looked at her, but didn't make any other move.

"I brought you your dinner", she said.

He didn't react to that, so she put the tray on the floor and sat next to it. After a couple of minutes, she finally got a reaction.

"How is my sister?" he asked in a low voice, still not facing her.

"She is fine, she woke up. Abe is taking care of..."

She stopped as she heard a sound oddly resembling a growl coming from the prince. He was glaring at her over his shoulder with a look that showed rage.

"I do not want him near her!"

She was surprised at the tone. "Prince, he would never hurt her!"

"I know he would not hurt her!" he snapped, getting up and coming closer to the bars. "If you want to help me in any way, gama, keep that fish away from Nuala", he said in a rough voice.

Something in Adela's mind clicked at the sound of that. _No! It can't be! Or can it?_

"You love her!" she whispered, feeling like a boulder suddenly fell on her chest.

"So you finally realized that, creature!" he said with a cruel smirk, leaning his head to one side.

_Wow. That hurts a bit more than it should. I need to get over this lump in my throat, he can't see that, especially now._

Trying to mask the hurt in her eyes, she looked away. "Well, it does come a bit as a surprise; I was blinded by the fact that you two are twins. I took everything as brotherly affection, even your reaction to Abe..." _you're babbling, stop it._

"And now you know! Are you still going to "try the impossible" to help me through this, woman?" he asked, with the same smirk.

_He figured out that you have some sort of feelings for him, he's not stupid! Damn it all! _"I don't see why not," she responded casually, but it sounded fake even in her ears. "Does she feel the same about you?" she finally asked.

His smirk fell and he turned his face from her. "She cannot ignore the effects of our bond. She is aware of that" he said in the warmest tone she ever heard from him.

_But she betrayed you! She almost killed you and herself! _The lump in Adela's throat became painful. She nodded, swallowing with difficulty, and then took the food from the tray and pushed it towards him, through the bars. She did the same with the plastic bottle of water and left the room as fast as she could.

* * *

><p>She walked the hallways in a trance, thinking about what she discovered, but mostly about how the news made her feel. She felt hurt and she was very disturbed about it. Around a corner, she almost bumped into Abe and...Nuala.<p>

_Oh no, I can't stand the sight of you right now!_

The princess still seemed a bit weak, but she was making progress. She smiled at Adela.

"Adela, thank you for what you did back in the army chamber. Thank you for helping us..." she was not allowed to continue.

_Us...I can't stand this anymore, I have to get out._

"Anyone would have done the same thing, princess...If you'll excuse me, I need to get out for a second", she said, as she walked by them.

"Are you all right?" Abe asked her.

"No." she answered, not turning around. "I need a moment alone."

Adela got to her room, took her jacket and her music player and left the BPRD center, after leaving Red a note on his door, in case he might look for her.

The center was located kilometers away from any city, but that was perfect, she needed to walk and vent the frustration clouding her mind. She walked fast in the night, her steps following the tempo of the songs. Music always helped her. Her thoughts came back and she tried to sort them out.

_I'm too hurt about this, I allowed myself to care too much about him. I lied even to myself. What did you think, you idiot, that he will wake up and suddenly see you in another light? Your 'relationship' is just as tense above ground as it was below._

As she walked, she thought about Nuala. When she first met the princess, she thought she was beautiful, kind, brave and smart. She liked her so much and now she hated her for the same reasons.

_That smile she had on her face when she was touching my hand...Was she laughing in my face? Was it cruelty? No. She doesn't seem like the type of person. I can't hate the woman, it's not her fault! I have no right to get involved in this. They shared so much for centuries, how dare I hate her after knowing him for a week. I'm such an idiot! No matter what I do, I can't compete with what they have. _

Realizing that, she let out a loud growl, thankful that nobody heard her. She couldn't hear anything except for the music, and she was crossing a forest, but she almost hoped something would attack her. Maybe killing something would help her vent the frustration. She slowed her mad pace as a new song started. She tried to forget about everything and listen to the melody.

She focused on the lyrics, but that proved to be a bad idea _"Dream brother, my killer, my lover"? Give me a fucking break! _She took the headphones off and smashed the player into a tree, deciding to continue her walk in silence. A short while later, it started raining. She kept walking for hours, getting lost and finding the way again, thinking about what to do.

It was morning when she came back to the center, cold, wet and covered in mud, but she had reached a conclusion. She would try to silence any feelings she had for the prince, learn to deal with Nuala's presence again, help them as much as she could, since she basically promised him that, and, after the problems were solved, get as far as possible from them.

* * *

><p>Adela walked into Nuada's prison, holding a new set of clothes and his breakfast. She saw him lying on his bed, face up, looking at the ceiling. Also, she noticed that he didn't eat the food she left with him last night. The water was gone, but the food was untouched.<p>

"Why is your meal untouched? Is there a special type of food that you need?" she asked in a tired low voice.

He looked at her and frowned for a second, before his face shifted back to indifference. "No."

"Then please eat something! You won't do anyone any good by starving yourself", she continued, in the same tired voice. "I brought you some new clothes they have sent for you, I hope they fit", she said, as she reached through the bars, to recover the wasted dinner.

Nuada approached the bars and she gave him the clothes. They were simple, a black sleeveless shirt and some pants, but they would be useful. As he inspected them, Adela continued to take back the food, reaching for a plate that she had pushed too far away into the cell.

"Are you sick?" he asked all of a sudden, studying her.

"No." she answered, not looking at him. She needed some time to learn to deal with her feelings, but she knew she could pull it off and feel at ease in his presence...eventually.

"Something is amiss. You do not look healthy", he said, getting closer and crouching on the floor, eye-level with her.

_What the hell do you care? _"I'm afraid that's just my morning face" she said, a bit annoyed. "Look, could you push that plate a bit, I'm almost stuck between these bars trying to reach it and I only manage to push it further", she asked casually, trying to make him drop the subject.

Nuada pushed the plate towards her, but grabbed her hand as she was reaching to take it. Pulling her closer and making her body hit the bars on the other side, he gave her an angry look.

"You will answer my question!" he ordered.

Glaring at him, she obliged "I'm very tired, ok? Now let go of me!"

Nuada let her go and she got on her feet, still not looking at him. "I will come by later to bring you your lunch and change the bandages. Do yourself a favor and eat!" she said, as she got out of the room.

* * *

><p>Walking back to the upper floors, she started to rethink her situation.<p>

_Maybe insisting on taking care of him was not such a wise idea after all._ She still wanted to help him, but without getting too hurt in the process. The distance she took was necessary for now. Her plans had to change a bit. Initially, she wanted to spend more time with the elf, talk to him and try to understand him. Also, she thought that being close to someone will help him cope with the current situation. Now that didn't seem like a very good idea anymore. He already had someone he wanted to be there for him, and it wasn't her. Also, being so close would only make her feel worse. However, she knew that she couldn't just leave him alone in that empty room, visiting only three times a day for a couple of minutes. She needed a replacement for the conversations. That was her main thought as she reached the library.

_Books. Books should help him kill time. Also, this might work for the best. Giving him something written by humans should make him understand that there is some good in that race after all._

Walking along the rows of books, she looked for a classic. _Lord of the Rings it is, your majesty. Let's see if you fancy that._

Happy with the discovery, she took the first volume of the book and also found a translated version of Kalevala, in case he didn't like Tolkien after all. She was heading towards the exit, when Nuala opened the doors. Adela silently cursed, but decided not to run away this time, it was getting ridiculous.

"Good morning, Adela!" greeted the princess, smiling at her.

"Good morning, princess", replied Adela in the friendliest voice she could master.

Nuala frowned. "I told you to use my name, there is no need to address me by my title," she said in a friendly voice.

"I'm Sorry, Nuala," the girl muttered.

"Are you better now? You scared me and Abraham last night. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"No, I'm fine. I just needed some fresh air. It did wonders", she smiled half-heartedly.

"Oh, I am glad to hear that", Nuala said, unconvinced. "I came here to see Abraham. Do you know where he is?"

"No. He must be somewhere with Red. If I see him I'll tell him that you are looking for him. I must go now, excuse me", Adela said, as she walked past the princess.

"Adela, please wait!" Nuala called.

She stopped and looked at the princess over her shoulder.

"I can tell something is wrong with you. Did I do anything to upset you?" the princess asked, with big innocent eyes. Adela sighed.

"No, I'm sorry. You didn't do anything, I'm the problem..." She turned for the door again, but Nuala stopped her in her tracks once again.

"How is my brother?" she asked, in a low voice.

Adela turned fully and gave her a thoughtful look. _Well, I said I will help him, and it seems like her presence might help him more than all my books and food._

"He's fine. Want to see for yourself?" she asked the princess.

Nuala's eyes widened. "I do not think I am allowed to do that".

"I didn't ask you if you're allowed, I asked you if you wanted to see him".

Nuala looked at her with a smile. "Yes, I would like that very much!"

"Follow me, then", said Adela, opening the doors and stepping outside the library.

Nuala followed her down the hallway, to the elevator. Adela made sure nobody was in their way. _I'm a masochist for doing this, but seeing them together should kick me out of this state._

"Be very very quiet. In case someone sees us, improvise something about being lost and me finding you", Adela instructed.

They made it to the elevator safely, descended to Nuada's floor and got to the door.

"Give him these, please, while you're in there", she said, passing the books to the princess.

Adela opened the vault and urged Nuala to get in, and then she followed her.

Nuada was in his usual meditating position on the floor. He turned slightly when he heard the door, and the look on his face as he saw his sister spoke volumes. In a second he got up and rushed to the bars.

"Nuala..." he said, giving the princess a look of pure adoration.

Adela took the lump in her throat as the perfect cue to retire. Looking at the princess, she said to her "I'll be outside, guarding the door. You don't have too much time". With that, she left. The last thing that she saw as she closed the door was Nuada's hand extending through the bars to caress his sister's face.

* * *

><p>The 15 minutes she had to wait outside the metal door seemed like decades. She was nervous about them being discovered, but also about what was happening between the two. In moments of sincerity, she admitted to herself that she was more disturbed by the idea of them kissing in there than of Manning and all the US Government being in the elevator. Not being able to wait anymore, she opened the door, ready to call Nuala back.<p>

"Nuala...sorry, but we have to..." she stopped at the scene in front of her. It was nothing of what she expected. Nuada was at the other side of the room, facing the wall, his fists clenched, while Nuala was still close to the bars, tears slowly running down her face. The princess turned to Adela and gave a small nod. Taking a final look at the prince, she said a hushed "I'm sorry, brother", then followed Adela out.

Adela wanted to see if the prince was all right, but she knew a bad moment when she saw one. She decided to ask Nuala.

"Are you ok? What happened in there?"

"I am well. I had to set some things straight with my brother."

Adela was confused, but Nuala continued, as they got into the elevator.

"Our situation is special. The bond ties us closer than normal twins...It gets very confusing sometimes", the princess explained, still in tears.

Adela looked at her and she couldn't help but empathies with her sadness. "He loves you", she said.

Nuala didn't seem surprised that she knew. "He thinks so, yes."

_Then the only problem I can see is that you don't love him back. _"You don't seem to feel the same", she voiced.

The elevator got to their floor and they had to shift their attention, to make sure nobody saw them. The path was clear, so they walked towards the main hallway.

"Please come to my room, Adela, I want to continue this conversation in a private place".

She nodded and followed the princess. They got to a room similar to the one she had. The furniture was simple but it was enough for a person to feel comfortable.

Nuala sat on the bed, and Adela curled in an armchair, facing her. Nuala sighed and resumed the topic.

"You are right; I do not feel the same. I love him more than anything in the world, but I can only see him as my brother."

Adela understood that. "Is incest something accepted amongst elves?" she finally asked.

"Yes. It is a rare occurrence, but it's not frowned upon, especially in noble families. That is not the problem, in this case. As we were growing up, Nuada and I had a normal brother-sister relationship. It all started to change during his exile" Nuala sighed and continued. "The bond allowed us to communicate. He started to accumulate so much hate that he isolated himself from anyone else, except me. Centuries passed, and his feelings changed, but only because I was the only one there for him."

Adela took in the information. "Even so", she said. "From thinking you're in love to actually being in love is only a small step."

Nuala smiled sadly "Are you talking from experience?" she asked, looking at her.

Adela gave up the mask. "You could say so," she said with a bitter smile

"I know you have feelings for my brother, I can see it in your eyes...And so can he."

"I know that, but I'm not stupid. I know what to expect from him, and more importantly, what not to expect" replied Adela.

Nuala frowned. "You manage to confuse him."

"What do you mean?"

"He does not know what to think of you, he is not used to having someone care for him. He can sense you are sincere in your desire to help, but he still does not know how to react to that."

"Well, I hope he'll realize I have no hidden agenda. Well, not anymore. I will not lie to you, I really wanted him to trust me and maybe respond to my feelings, but I'm getting used to the idea that it will never happen."

"Never is a very strong word. Are you willing to give up already?"

Adela smiled sadly. "I don't think he'll ever feel more than disgust for me."

Nuala gently touched her hand, gaining her attention. "Things are not always what they seem. All I know is that your chances of winning his heart are null if you give up now."

After a few moments of silence, the princess spoke again.

"I know now why your attitude changed. I am very sorry, you must hate me" continued the princess.

"That feeling did cross my heart a couple of times, but I pushed it away. I don't hate you. I do hate myself, but I have no right to hate you", Adela said.

"Why did you take me to him?"

"I thought you were the only person that could make him feel better. I wanted him to get out of the depressed mood he is in, even for a couple of moments."

The princess thought that over a bit. "That was selfless of you, in view of the circumstances. Thank you."

Adela almost laughed. "Nothing anyone ever does is completely selfless! I also hoped I would snap out of my trance after seeing you together. Also, in the back of my mind, I think I also wanted him to trust me a bit."

Nuala smiled at her. "So it may be, but that does not change the fact that I am grateful. I don't think that he is feeling any better now, but this had to be done. Did you 'snap out of the trance'? "

Adela frowned and bowed her head a bit. "No. It didn't work. And what you told me about your relationship didn't help either."

"Why?", Nuala asked, leaning her head o one side, and resembling Nuada so well that it made Adela look away.

"Because it gave me hope", she murmured.

* * *

><p>A.N. Sorry if the plot is a bit more static in this one, I'll try to take things further soon. I promise the story will become more dynamic, but I really don't want to rush it.<p> 


	28. Chapter 27

Chapter 27 - Thank you for doing this

Adela was heading towards Nuada's cell with dread. She had no idea what to expect, so she feared the worst. She was ready for any insult or any amount of rage; after all, she was the one that brought Nuala to him. Being in pain could tempt him to release all his frustration on her. Adela opened the vault door and reluctantly stepped in, only to see Nuada close to the bars, staring at her, as if he was waiting for her to make an appearance.

This cannot be good.

For the first time, he was the one to break the silence. "You talked to my sister", he said, in a rough voice. "…so you must know the situation by now." His expression shifted to show a sinister smile, his eyes still angry. "Does it make you happy, woman?"

Adela looked at him sadly, but she was slightly hurt by his assumption.

"Happy? You think I know nothing better than to take pleasure from your pain?" she said, as she started to unload the casseroles on her tray, pushing them through the bars.

He used that moment to grab her hand again, squeezing it almost painfully. Pulling her closer until her shoulder hit the bars, he grabbed her neck with his other hand. Lifting her to a standing position, he stared at her with the same eerie expression in his eyes.

"How does it make you feel then? Relieved? Hopeful?" he sneered. "You hope that you will benefit from my sister's refusal? You think that a disgusting beast like you can come even close to her?" he continued, giving her a glance from head to toe.

She wanted to cry at that, but she chose to manifest her hurt in another manner. She felt her powers overwhelm her, as red overtook the dark color of her eyes.

"Let go of me", she sneered, in the eerie voice he already knew. Grabbing the hand holding her neck, she managed to untangle his fingers. Her strength was, if not equal to his now, enough to break his hold. Giving him a low growl, she kept her hand locked around his wrist, then, staring into his eyes, she continued "You forget who you're talking to, elf. Mind your manners or this disgusting beast will send you flying into the wall with no remorse" letting go of his hand, she took a step back. "Don't be so quick to step on my tail just because my alter-ego has a crush on you, prince, I don't take that sort of behavior too kindly."

He took his hand back and rubbed his wrist, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Alter-ego? So you are a different person when you transform?"

She laughed at his curiosity.

"Far from that. We are the same person." He seemed confused and that made her feel too well. She decided to enlighten him.

"We are one and the same. Same feelings, same beliefs, same woman. We just control different aspects." She grinned, looking at him. "She controls most of the feelings while I rule upon the instincts. She's the human side while I am, as you very well said it, the beast". She stepped closer to the bars. "You might realize now why I took what you said as a personal insult and felt the need to set things straight", she said.

"Interesting…"

"Why, I'm glad to entertain" she smirked.

"Which one of you saved Wink then?" he asked, his curiosity seeming to untangle his tongue.

"Both of us did that. I was actually quite pissed about your way of expressing your gratitude. We never act individually, prince, it's just a matter of which side is dominant", she continued. "It's quite rare to see me like this. I now have full control, your attitude made it easy for me to push back the human side. But, you talked about me, so…here I am," she grinned.

"The fact that your pathetic alter-ego is dominant most of the time says a lot about your power," he smirked.

"You're on thin ice, elf. Kudos for insulting us both in the same sentence," she grinned. "I'm like this because she managed to tame me. Most of our kind cannot do that and they end up being rampaging monsters. If it weren't for the lame alter-ego, you would be lying dead in the army chamber and the troll market would still be in ruins after our first encounter." She paused, staring at him.

"I don't see beauty and an anguished soul with chances of redemption when I look at you, elf. I only see a good fuck and some delicious blood on the side. Keep that in mind the next time you want to bring me forth".

With that, her eyes lost the redness, getting back to their original black shade. Her fangs retracted and her skin gained a more natural color. She kept her eyes on him as she regained her control.

"Hn. I see that you're back" Nuada said, watching her transformation end.

Her eyes focused, as she replied. "I was never gone. Forgive my lack of control." _I guess it's a bad moment to tell you that I need to change your bandages._ "It will not happen again!" she mumbled, leaving the cell as fast as possible and leaving the prince slightly confused.

* * *

><p>Adela sat outside, on the ground, her back resting on the outer wall of the building. The air was quite cold, and her breath mingled with the smoke she slowly exhaled. Beside her, on the concrete, were her pack of cigarettes and three empty plastic cups of coffee. Eyes closed, she just rested and silently thought about their situation. Lost in her thoughts, she failed to see Red approaching. The demon grinned and then not so gently sat next to her, putting a heavy hand on her shoulder. Adela jumped and gave a short "Eeep!" followed by a growl, as soon as she saw her friend.<p>

"Hey there brat! Watcha doin? Hiding out here to smoke?" he grinned. "What would your boss say?" he said, pretending to be scandalized.

Adela turned towards him with a bored expression, and then smiled. "You're either drunk, which would be quite sad, since the sun is still up, or…happy because you know something…" she grinned. "Or both happy **and **drunk because you know something…" her grin turned into a laugh as he nodded enthusiastically.

"Congratulations, future daddy! Now that you'll have brats of your own, maybe you'll stop treating me like a kid!" she smiled.

"Heh, maybe. But the next months won't be easy for you, since I have to train for my future father role!" he laughed, ruffling her hair.

"Mind the pretty fur, demon," she growled playfully. "And get a dog if your many cats don't play the kid part that well".

"I'll think about that. Now really, why did you come all the way here to smoke? It's chilly!"

"I'm sunbathing!"

He glared at her so she told him the truth. "Well, it seems like you are the only one allowed to smoke in this building. I tried to light up a cigarette earlier and I was not so gently asked to "get my ass out"," she smiled. "Apparently, my cigarettes stink, while your cigars smell like spring flowers or something."

"There there, don't be grumpy. I brought you something…" he smirked.

That gained her attention.

"Is it chocolate?"

He laughed at her "Neah, I wouldn't insult you like that! It's liquid, and quite old," he said, taking a half-full bottle out of his coat.

Adela gasped "NO! You didn't! Aberfeldy? Red, you opened THE bottle?"

"The occasion just seemed right!"

"Red, you keep this bottle of scotch for years and you open it now, just when Liz can't drink? You bastard! Give it here!" she said, taking the bottle and smelling it before taking a sip.

"The Sun isn't up anymore, huh?" laughed the demon.

"Any time is a good time for a 21 year old beverage."

"Yeah, it's old enough to drink itself," he smirked. "I know you're not one to care about glasses, so we'll share the bottle. The others had their part. Aaaanywho, how's your elf?"

"Oh, he's fine. He hates me, he's in love with his sister…the usual," she said, taking a larger gulp of scotch.

"Hey! Give it here; this is celebration booze, not 'drink yourself into a stupor to forget the misery' booze. The fridge is full of beer for that!" As if just registering her words, he stared at her with a crestfallen expression. "Huh?"

"Yep, he loves his sister, and not in the nice way either, but in the gross way!"

"I'll be damned!" he said, looking disgusted.

"Well, apparently, for the other elves, wanting to sleep with your sister isn't _that _odd. We're just reacting like this because, in our society, it's taboo."

Red glared at her. "Stop talking like a psychology teacher. This must hurt you! I'm tempted to pour beer down your throat myself."

"Well, it's not making me happy, that's for sure! Last night, when I told you I needed some air, I walked like a maniac all night, killed my music player because of some Placebo lyrics and decided to fuck all and at least pretend I don't care."

"So what are you going to do?" he asked, passing her the bottle again.

Adela took her sweet time lighting her cigarette and then relaxed again, closing her eyes against the sunlight. "Absolutely nothing! I'm going to keep my word and try to help, but I'll keep my fair distance. The guy hates my guts anyway…"

"This is fucked up, kid…" he said.

"Yep! It most certainly is. And, to resemble a soap opera even better, his sister isn't feeling the same for him. And yours truly, like the idiot she is, had the wonderful idea to take her to him and 'make him feel better'…"

"You took the princess to his cell?"

"Indeed…Looks like Nuala took that exact moment to set things right between them, so now he hates me for bringing her. I don't know why the hell, but he thinks that I had something to do with that decision…"

"I don't think so, Adela. The guy is anything but stupid."

"Well, in his anger, I wouldn't be too surprised if he also blamed me for the fate of his people, global warming, destroying the ozone layer and everything else that is wrong in the world. He called me a 'disgusting beast', Red," she mumbled.

"That idiot!" muttered Red, putting an arm over her shoulders. "What did you say to that?"

"Well, I kinda lashed at him…The other part of me wasn't very happy with his words and put him in place. I just don't understand how things got so screwed up. After he woke up we had a decent conversation and I thought things would be better, but they are not! They are worse than two days ago, when he had me in a leash!" she moaned.

"Kid, I think the idiot is an idiot!"

"Very articulate, my friend!" smiled Adela, but her face still showed sadness.

"Yeah, it's one of my qualities," he grinned, managing to make her laugh. "I think the royal ass is under a lot of stress right now, not that it gives him the right to act like this. Unleashing his anger upon you might work like a defense mechanism. He lost his army, his freedom and now his hopes with his sister…give him some time, he's not made of concrete. He knows you want to help him."

"Wow, you really are articulate," she grinned.

"Were you expecting anything else? Now, drink your scotch like a good girl and don't be so upset, it's going to be OK!"

"I need to change his bandages later. That will be fun!"

"You'll be fine, I trust you. I talked to Abe about what you asked me, we will be able to meet tomorrow morning, at 7, in the library; All of us, meaning you, me, Abe and Liz."

"Thank you, Red! I don't know about Agent Krauss yet, we need to see if we will include him, but we certainly need to consult each other before we bring Manning into the equation."

"We will. Now go bandage the elf before we get too attached to this bottle," he grinned. Helping her up, he pointed to the empty plastic cups.

"Take those to the bin, kid, he might blame you for all the garbage in the world!"

"God forbid, pal. Must recycle!" she laughed.

* * *

><p>Entering his cell was already a common occurrence, but going past the bars was a different story. The idea of being so close to him and having to touch him made her nervous, especially after their earlier encounter.<p>

She entered the room, her eyes nervously searching for the prince. He was sitting on his bed again, but this time he rose as soon as he heard her enter and walked closer to the bars. Eyeing the bandages in her hand, she started to play with the key to the cell, trying to delay the moment as long as possible. How could she begin…'I know you hate me with a passion, but please strip and let me touch you for a few minutes'. This was going to be difficult. Just when she was planning her strategy, she heard Nuada's voice.

"Is it true, what you said earlier when you transformed?"

_What? I hope you don't mean the 'good fuck' part. _Adela was afraid to answer, so she tried to dodge the question.

"I said many things…"

"You know what I am referring to!"

Unfortunately, she knew too well. He was practically forcing a confession out of her with that question, and she could either lie to him, which would be useless, since he could read her like an open book, or tell him the truth and be over with this awkwardness. She made the obvious choice.

Looking straight in his eyes, she took a deep breath and said. "It was true, ok? At first I was only feeling attracted to you, because…well, take a look in a mirror and you'll see why…" She could feel her face burning and a vein pulsating on her temple. "…But then, you just had to show me your feelings that night! I…I don't love you!" she said, almost shouting that part.

Not giving him any time to interrupt, she continued. "But I do have some feelings for you! And I'm not asking you to return them or see me any differently, I didn't have anything to do with Nuala's decision, I won't try to force myself on you, I won't try anything. So, please," she almost begged, looking into his eyes "Do you think we can get over this awkwardness and just focus on the problem at hand? We need to work together to make things better and we can't do that if we fight all the time!"

The prince was staring at her with an awkward expression on his face and that was unnerving her even more. She wanted to dig a hole in the ground and crawl in it, never to face him again. Now knowing what to do, she kept talking.

"Right now I have to change your bandages and I have no idea how to do that without touching you. Please don't make this even more difficult for me than it already is!"

After a few moments, she finally got a reaction from the prince. Nuada nodded slowly, not taking his eyes off her. With a sigh of relief, she broke the eye contact and, trying to control the shivering of her hands, opened the door to his cell.

The situation was becoming awkward again. Without a word Nuada took off his shirt and walked to his mattress, sitting down. Adela tried to control the beating of her heart and distract her thoughts. She kneeled in front of him, all the time trying to keep her mind busy with complicated math problems. Not even logarithms managed to distract her from his presence, so close to her.

Breathing deeply, she started to remove his bandages, trying to touch his skin as little as possible. However, she made the mistake of looking at his face. He was looking down at her with such an intense expression in her eyes that she blushed and broke eye contact as soon as possible.

_How the hell was this supposed to chase away awkwardness? At least he knows where I stand. He still doesn't care, but…Who am I kidding, I hoped he would._

She took away the old bandages and checked his wound. It looked much better now, it was healing nicely. However, they had to keep it bandaged to prevent infection. Taking some antiseptic lotion from her bag, she warned him in a low voice

"This will be a bit cold" she said, noticing that her mouth was suddenly very dry.

Nuada nodded and she cleaned his skin gently, making sure she didn't cause him any pain. As she was putting the new bandages on, she remembered

"The team will meet tomorrow morning and we will plan our common approach. We want to ask the government to give some lands to your people. We need to discuss the details, so I will tell you all about it in the morning, when I will bring your breakfast." With that, she finished her work and got ready to leave. Before she reached the door, she could hear the prince:

"Adela…" The sound of his voice calling her name made her heart jump and she almost tripped.

Turning around, she looked at him, expecting anything but what came next.

"Thank you for doing this…" he said.

Adela was speechless and she wanted to pinch herself . It was surreal!

Not trusting her voice, she nodded and gave him a smile. On her way to the elevator, she couldn't stop replaying his words in her mind and could not hide the goofy grin she had on her face.

* * *

><p><strong>A.N. I'm sorry for the long delay, I guess real life got quite intense and I didn't have time for this anymore. I have a new job and it's taking a bit to adapt, so I can't promise quick updates anymore. I was planning on quitting the story, but I changed my mind. Some of you seem to like it so I can't just leave you hanging like this.<strong>


	29. Chapter 28

Chapter 28 - National parks?

"Good morning star shine, Me says hello!" beamed Adela as she entered the small conference room a few minutes before 7 am, holding her favorite mammoth-mug of coffee. The night had been good indeed. For the first time in what seemed like ages, she had no nightmares, but kept dreaming of those two small words over and over again. _Thank you… _She still felt the need to grin like a moron, and that small sign recognition from the prince made her feel confident in their plan. Trying to keep her still damp hair out of her eyes, she collapsed in an office chair and took her sweet time inhaling the perfumed steam rising from her cup.

"Gah! You're so hyper this morning it makes me sick" grumbled a sleepy Red, raising his forehead from the table to glare at her, before adjusting into a more comfortable position. "Had wet dreams about the elf or what?" he yawned.

Adela's grin widened, making her friend raise an eyebrow at her antics. "Neah, the dreams were drier than you think, but you are quite close! He thanked me last night!" she added, in a hushed voice, as if she was confiding the greatest secret in the world.

Red laughed loudly at that. "You're smitten, kid. Badly so! If you're like that from a thank you, I think you would explode at something more interesting than that!" With a wild grin on his face, he continued, trying to imitate Nuada's voice. "Picture this: Oh, Adela, I never realized how amazingly beautiful you are! I will repay all the efforts you made to save my sorry ass by kissing and licking every inch of your body…"

He then roared with laughter again, seeing the wistful/embarrassed look on her face.

"Shut up, demon!" she grumbled. Then, to change the subject, she inquired about the others.

"Liz is in the bathroom, where she has been for the last hour or so. Morning sickness, she said, before slamming the door in my face. That's why I was here 15 minutes early. As for Abe, I have no idea, he should be here any minute now."

Just then, Liz entered the room, the look on her face showing utmost hatred for the Universe.

Adela turned and, before thinking, used the same hyper tone "Liiiz! You look…_green! _…sleepy?" she finished lamely, noticing the state of her friend.

The dark circles under Liz's eyes spoke volumes. Glaring at Adela, she mumbled. "If by that you mean I look like shit then yeah, I know." Sitting in a chair next to Red, she started to massage her temples. "I swear, whoever said pregnant women have a "certain glow" should be hanged. I sure don't think I'm shining when I spend every morning with my face in the toilet."

"Where's Abe?" she snapped, after a few moments of silence.

"Here I am, sorry for being late!" said a tired looking Abe, who was carrying a ton of papers and a laptop.

"Well, this meeting stated well," mumbled Adela, realizing that all her friends seemed to be a wreck before coffee. "You set up the library you carried with you, I'll bring more coffee. We need to get your brains in gear."

…

One hour later, they were looking more alive, but quite pissed.

"This is getting us nowhere," said Abe. "All this talk is worthless if we cannot formulate some valid demands. We just mumbled about how we want _some _lands for the underground population, but we need to know exactly what we are asking for."

"It's going to be complicated," mumbled Liz. "If we want to keep their existence secret, at least for the time being, we cannot just give them some acres and pray that the humans don't discover them."

"We just have to ask for some lands that are far away from human establishments. Some lands that have not yet been touched by their developments…" said Adela mostly to herself, while staring at her now empty cup.

Red snorted. "Sorry, kid, but that's silly. This is the US, there are no places untouched by humans. Unless you want to discover a new continent or send them to Alaska, I say we need to think of something else."

Adela frowned, but it soon turned into a grin. "Send them to Alaska!" she laughed! "Brilliant! Red, you might be surprised, but that not the answer to everything. Even if you seem to love that solution," she giggled.

Liz threw him a playful glare, smiling, while Abe tried to hide his amusement by focusing on the computer.

"Yeah, well it sometimes works. Let's get back to the problem at hand, you snickering hyena!" he growled playfully.

"Fine. I was actually thinking, in my silliness, about some forests or something…" Adela didn't get to finish, distracted by Abe, who practically jumped up, staring at her with a glint in his eyes.

"Let me guess, you have an idea," she smirked.

"As a matter of fact, I do! National parks!" he beamed, looking at each of his friends as if expecting a round of applause.

All he got, for a couple of moments, was deep silence, as the other people in the room thought about the idea.

"It's…well…brilliant, if I think about it," said Adela, coming back from her daze. "They are secluded, not inhabited by humans, and the nature is very well preserved. Abe, that's perfect!" she grinned, her happy bunny state returning.

Red was the one who brought her back to earth. "Wait just a minute! I hate to be the Grinch today, but it's not that easy. Natural parks are not inhabited, but they are still visited by millions. And I don't think the government will just give us Yellowstone with a red ribbon on it."

"That's true," agreed Abe. "Even if the authorities somehow agree to put the parks off limits for the population, the people will be upset and they will ask questions."

Adela frowned. "Well, I wonder what's more important, save an entire population by giving them back just a small slice of what is rightfully theirs or make sure that the humans have a place to relax and gaze at the threes. Tough decision," she added on a sarcastic voice, while inspecting her now long claws.

Looking up from her hands, she saw her friends staring at her and she laughed sheepishly. "Sorry about that. Small control lapse. He he...But seriously, I think we're on to something here. Abe, could you please pass that laptop?"

"Someone needs some help with geography, huh?" teased Red.

"Shut up, you jerk. Quick, tell me the capital of Alaska!" she smirked, while setting the computer in front of her. "Liz, I know you know, but you get a zero if you whisper to him!"

Red fidgeted, not giving an answer, and she smiled. "I rest my case. Now, let's see what are the options for us."

* * *

><p>"National parks?" asked Nuada, raising an eyebrow.<p>

"Yes!" Adela beamed at him, while unloading his food from the tray. "They are owned by the government and restricted from development…"

"I know what they are," interrupted the prince. "I'm still not convinced that your government will agree, and even if you reach an agreement, allow me to question their honor!" he said with disdain.

Adela sighed, knowing that, in a way, he was right. The joy of actually having a decent conversation with him was slowly wearing off.

"I know, but at the moment, I don't see any other way. You know as well as I do that anything is better than leaving them in the sewers. Now, since I don't know much about your people, I need to ask you some questions."

Nuada looked at her and, for a moment, distrust shone in his eyes. His expression soon became neutral again, but that brief moment was enough to hurt her.

"What do you need to know and why?" he asked.

"I just want to ask you how many of your people need to be relocated. Also, I need to know if they require a specific habitat…From what I've seen in the troll market, the population is very diverse. Will some need special geographical or weather conditions?"

Nuada pondered for a moment, but eventually replied.

"The total population amounts no more than half a million souls. What you saw in the troll market is only a small part. Most species are adapted to living in forests, but some, like the trolls, are used to living in caves. Smaller groups choose to live near rivers. None of them are too fond of cold weather, and that is all you need to know for now."

_Well, we need to cut Alaska off the list._

"Thank you! The others are now informing Dr Krauss about the plan, we decided it's in our favor to include him also." After a few moments of silence, she meekly added. "Nuala is also informed and she agreed to do anything to help."

His face darkened, but he only nodded. Feeling like she was being dismissed, she took the empty tray and left the cell.

* * *

><p>"NO! No, no, no, no, no!" growled Manning, pacing the library. Hellboy tried to open his mouth and say something, but a sudden glare from his boss interrupted him. "NO!" he said, again, in case the message wasn't clear enough.<p>

Red and Adela growled, while Abe and Liz frowned. Dr. Krauss seemed to be the only calm one in the group.

"With all due respect, sir, but could you at least think about it before you say no?" said Adela through clenched teeth.

Manning turned towards her and glared. "No! I don't need to think about anything! The answer is NO! Need I remind you why this office was set up in the first place? It was set up by the HUMANS and it's still funded by humans, for the protection of HUMANS! It works in their interest! You work in their interest! You cannot ask for lands from the government, to give to some other population!"

The team tried to say something, but the boss went on.

"You mission was to stop the Golden Army and prevent a war. It's accomplished, so congratulations to you! Now celebrate by having a party or take some days off for yourselves. Any other dreams of rescuing the enemy are in vain!"

"The enemy?" asked Adela in a forceful tone. Images of Pic-Poc playing with her hair came to her mind, followed by the memory of Wink bringing her food and taking her to a decent bed. The creatures in the troll market were not evil, they were just forced into hiding by the ignorance of humans. "Those creatures aren't evil, sir! They just need a decent place to live. Given the real story, they deserve at least that!"

"Agent Adela, I don't know from what planet you're coming from, but after a war, the defeated population is not in a position to ask for anything!" he almost shouted, his face turning red.

"War! Since our mission was to stop the prince, I think the word hardly applies. Your battle was with prince Nuada, not with the creatures living underground!" It was her time to talk and they all knew that it was difficult to stop or interrupt her. "This is so typical! Humans fuck up one way or another, a whole species becomes critically endangered, and then the humans wake up and spend millions of dollars trying to rescue it, all the time congratulating themselves for their big heart, I might add, forgetting they were the cause of the disaster in the first place. This is just like that, now it's your turn to jump to their rescue. Just imagine we are talking about the giant panda or what not, and act like you would in that case! Recreate their habitat!" Adela was almost panting. Sometimes, in heated arguments, she forgot to breathe, and the effect was comical - making an important point while looking suffocated was hardly impressive.

"Giant panda! Giant. Panda!" Manning screamed. "You are forgetting one little thing, agent! Everybody on this planet knows about the giant panda! How do you expect us to do the same thing, to give that population some part of a national park, and then say to the visitors: 'Sorry people, you can't go there, some endangered trolls are currently residing in the area!'." Then, giving them a look that was beyond pissed, he continued, in a calmer, authoritarian voice: "This is out of the question, agents! We cannot do anything. It's simply life taking its course. The stronger population survives, while the other fades. Call it natural selection and let's end this discussion!"

"Natural selection! Are you fucking kidding me?" shouted Adela, also starting to pace. The frustration was making it impossible for her to stay in one place. Pointing a finger at Manning, she growled "You have some nerve to bring that up into the discussion. What natural selection? Humans excluded that a long time ago. Nobody is allowed to die anymore, not even the ones who, in the real world, would not be fit to survive! Humans defy nature and now you use it as an argument? Just because they are peaceful does not mean they should simply fade…"

Before she could say anything else, Red put a hand on her shoulder, shutting her up.

"Boss, I feel it is our duty to help them. We are not humans ourselves and we cannot agree to what's happening. Me and Liz also need to think about our kids. It pains me to say this, but they will be accepted more by that population than by the humans."

"I agree with Red. I don't want my children to have to hide all their lives. By insuring that magical creatures have a place to live we insure that our kids have a happier and somewhat normal existence."

Manning calmed down a bit, but his face was still red. Massaging his temples, he groaned and looked at Abe and Dr. Krauss for support.

Abe shrugged and looked at his boss with a cold expression. "You already know my opinion. I will design the plan and make the presentation to the officials myself, if we get a green light from you."

Manning turned to Dr. Krauss, defeated. "You too?"

"I am living ectoplasm in a rubber suit; still, my loyalties lie with the humans. I would never agree to something that would endanger them. However, allowing an entire population to die is no better than killing it ourselves and genocide is not something that I want to whiteness again in my lifetime, sir."

Manning sighed, knowing a lost battle when he saw one.

"Fine! You will be able to meet some government officials who actually have a say in this mess, and it's up to you to negotiate with them. All I can do is wish you luck, as I will not take your side in this. Unfortunately, not taking your side also means I cannot make them come all the way here just for these discussions, we have to make up another reason…"

* * *

><p>"A party?" asked Nuala, surprised. Adela came to her room to inform her about the result of the discussions as soon as they ended, and she was still trying to calm herself with some vanilla tea.<p>

"Well, yeah. It will be a good reason to invite officials, although it makes me sick to think we're practically going to celebrate your brother's imprisonment. Manning said he will not get involved, and making them come here only for the discussions would put him in a difficult position with Washington, so he made up a reason. We will celebrate the success of our mission through a party…" Adela explained.

"What sort of celebration? Will it be like a ball?"

"Well, not really. This building is not fit for balls, since neon lights, concrete and metal doors are known to kill the mood, but it will be something classy. No drinking competitions and loud music, so I guess it's not my kind of party", she smiled to herself. "Good thing I'm not invited. There will be some music, but mostly classical and chill-out, no dancing program, some food and socializing. You are asked, actually implored to come," smiled Adela.

"I wonder if it's a good idea to attend this event just before the discussions" said Nuala, looking doubtful.

"Nuala, you are actually a key element of the party. I'm sure that once they meet you, the officials will have an excellent opinion of you and, therefore, will be more receptive to the pleas," she smirked.

"Why are you not invited?" asked Nuala.

"Well, me staying away from the party was actually the only thing Manning and the others agreed upon. They want to make sure there is no chance for me to screw things up, since I manage to get annoyed at annoying very fast," she laughed. "I have to agree, but don't tell anyone. Judging by the way I screamed at Manning, it's better I don't "negotiate" anything with the government."

* * *

><p><strong>A.N. Ta-dam! Here it is, the new chapter. For those who actually wait for this story, I'm sorry, but I can't update as fast as I would like to. I'm sorry the romance part is lacking for now, but I want to keep thinks as realistic as possible, and I just don't see anyone thinking about their crush in these circumstances.<strong>


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